Nearly 260,000 American women have fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. These women continue their battle when they return home and struggle in a male-dominated environment. An institution like the military often overlooks the fact that females experience similar physical, psychological, and emotional problems as male veterans. VA hospitals across the country are facing this inadequacy and taking major steps to provide a more comfortable and equal environment.
Retired Air Force Reserve Cmdr. Gwen Sheppard, 47, returned from Iraq in 2003 and found herself suffering from a variety of health issues that were both physical and psychological. She said she was consistently ‘blown off’ and told that it was ‘just a female thing’ when seeking medical attention. Sheppard demanded they take a closer look and dig deeper into these issues; she knew something wasn’t right. Respect is hard to come by as a woman in the military explains Sheppard, she knew she deserved better.
Any health concern that a veteran has is entitled to a ‘closer look’. Whether it is trouble remembering like Sheppard or difficulty breathing, the hazardous conditions that veterans underwent while in the service is reason enough to pay close attention to any health ailments they may have.
When symptoms are left unattended to, serious health conditions can arise. Mesothelioma cancer is an example of a disease that is most prevalent in the veteran community and is often overlooked for its influenza or bronchitis-like symptoms. An illness like this can simply be overlooked until it’s finally diagnosed in its later stages, when aggressive treatments are necessary.
Female veterans do not deserve the poor attention and lack of respect that they are receiving in VA hospitals. It is disgraceful that we would take them less seriously than male vets.
"A lot of areas in the VA will still call you mister.' They don't even look at the first name, and they'll say, 'Mr. Sheppard.' And, of course, that's a trigger for me," she says.
Jill Feldman, director of the Women Veterans Health Care Program, says that Sheppard’s experience is not uncommon by any means. Feldman has taken the initiative to bring in more physicians who specialize in female comprehensive care.
Milwaukee VA has a new women’s clinic that offers a waiting room to feel more comfortable and at ease. Ironically, the waiting room has been filled with men mostly. Women’s medical director, at the Milwaukee VA, Dr. Kayt Havens, says it will take some time. “We have common threads now, so that you could start a program here in Milkwaukee, and if it works well, then it can get picked up by other VA systems” she adds.
Despite difficulty, progress is being made. There is currently a bill pending in Congress that would consent to a study of women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan that would research how their time at war affected their physical, mental and reproductive health. Further, this bill would also require a full review of the treatment women receive in the VA health care system.
