Brenda Reed is the Commander of the DAV Department of Florida. She was often the only woman in her unit and she experienced multiple incidents of military sexual trauma. She also sustained a broken foot during service that ultimately led to her having to have part of her leg amputated. Reed now focuses on using her position as Commander to help reach other female veterans in need. In February 2024, DAV published Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. This report is a comprehensive assessment of the unique factors contributing to the staggering rates of suicide among women veterans and how the system charged with their mental health care can and must do better. Learn more about the report and DAV’s findings at www.womenveterans.org.

Air Force veteran Shannon Sander experienced military sexual trauma when she was raped by her flight sergeant. Meanwhile, she was also dealing with health issues that lead to her being medically boarded out of the military. Her story is unique but her experience is not uncommon for other women veterans. She now works as a chapter service officer assisting other veterans with their VA claims. In February 2024, DAV published Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. This report is a comprehensive assessment of the unique factors contributing to the staggering rates of suicide among women veterans and how the system charged with their mental health care can and must do better. Learn more about the report and DAV’s findings at www.womenveterans.org.

Women’s Army Corps veteran Ginger MacCutcheon’s story of military sexual trauma (MST) is not uncommon. Among veterans enrolled in the VA, 1 in 3 women report experiencing MST, which is a known risk factor for suicide. Women are at least 16 times more likely to experience MST compared with men. Additionally, one study found that veterans who identified MST as the source of their post-traumatic stress disorder were at least three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts as those who said their PTSD was specifically related to combat or deployment. Ginger MacCutcheon passed away on April 14, 2024, at age 65 following health complications. Ginger felt strongly about using her voice to help others and contributed greatly to the veteran community. We thank her for her years of dedicated service and know her story will continue to positively impact others. In February 2024, DAV published Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. This report is a comprehensive assessment of the unique factors contributing to the staggering rates of suicide among women veterans and how the system charged with their mental health care can and must do better. Read Ginger’s full story and learn more about the report and DAV’s findings at www.womenveterans.org.

Penni Lo’Vette Brown’s experiences with military sexual trauma lead to years of PTSD, homelessness and alcohol abuse. Her story is unfortunately all too common among women veterans. In fact, among veterans enrolled in the VA, 1 in 3 women report experiencing military sexual trauma. Experiencing MST is associated with mental health diagnoses that are linked to increased risks for suicidal thoughts and behavior, such as depression, substance use disorder, PTSD and intentional self-harm. In February 2024, DAV published Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. This report is a comprehensive assessment of the unique factors contributing to the staggering rates of suicide among women veterans and how the system charged with their mental health care can and must do better. Read Penni’s full story and learn more about the report and DAV’s findings at www.womenveterans.org.

When DAV National Commander Nancy Espinosa first reached out to the VA for health care, she felt that her local center at the time was ill-equipped to address women’s health care. Since then, the VA has worked hard to establish a comprehensive health and gender-specific care model for women. While a lot of progress has been made, there are still gaps to fill. In February 2024, DAV published Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. This report is a comprehensive assessment of the unique factors contributing to the staggering rates of suicide among women veterans and how the system charged with their mental health care can and must do better. Read Nancy’s full story and learn more about the report and DAV’s findings at www.womenveterans.org.

Years after her time in the Army, Constance Cotton was in desperate need of community and support when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. Having experienced military sexual trauma various times during her military career, her physical and mental health were strained. Her experience made it difficult to trust others or feel safe. Women like Constance are at least 16 times more likely to experience MST compared with men. Additionally, one study found that veterans who identified MST as the source of their post-traumatic stress disorder were at least three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts as those who said their PTSD was specifically related to combat or deployment. In February 2024, DAV published Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness. This report is a comprehensive assessment of the unique factors contributing to the staggering rates of suicide among women veterans and how the system charged with their mental health care can and must do better. Read Constance’s full story and learn more about the report and DAV’s findings at www.womenveterans.org.

Thank you for celebrating Women Veterans Recognition Day with the Department of Virginia Disabled American Veterans (DAV). To learn more about a DAV Chapter near you go to https://www.dav.org/find-your-local-office/.