Gregory Marlett writes:

Subject: Veteran Advocate Blog

Good article and commentary - very timely! I have published it in my Blog and look forward to hearing more on this subject. Thanks, Greg

Deb writes:

Subject: Female Veterans

Intersting viewpoint. I think any woman who has served their country knows and feels inside that she is a veteran. Once you've served in any combat or combat support, or any tour, you are never the same, you still have the same problems such as PTSD, re-adjusting to civilian life, etc. its just not recognized as it should be, and many times mistaken accidentally or on purpose for something else, many have nightmares, trouble sleeping, anxiety and panic attacks, depression, suicidal tendencies, homelessness. Veterans Hospitals are getting better, they have a long way to go, they tend to treat the men for ptsd and other service connected problems but label the women veterans as mental (its all in our pretty little heads). That is bullcrap, I know it and any woman who's been thru a VA knows it. If you are a woman veteran, speak up, as women we tend to let sleeping dogs lie to keep the peace, if a woman is having the same symptoms as the man, they get different treatments, its the same old story, if you want help your going to have to work twice as hard at getting it. Women are just as patriotic as men when they join, they are just as willing to fight for their country as men, they are trained the same, they do feel victory over bringing in prisoners of war (even if its just an exercise), they sit crouched in small dark places underground with gas masks on for hours, they guard planes, perimeters, they treat every exercise, recall etc as real because it might be and has been, they have died for our country, don't tell me it doesn't tear at any veterans heart each time they hear of the death of another veteran whether it be man or woman, we had to work as a team while serving when one team member dies, it effects us all. Many times its impossible to watch any combat movie or hear the news, it brings it all back and the pain is too much so you shut it up inside and avoid anything that may remind you or may bring a flashback, its not that we don't consider ourselves veterans, it may be that we just don't need a girl club to brag about it, when we run into another woman veteran, we know the sacrifices made and we have respect for each other. Anyone who has served their country is a veteran, whether they served in combat or not, whether they be man or woman. They may get lucky and readjust and disappear back into their lives but they are forever changed.