Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently proclaimed Sunday as Women Veterans Recognition Day to honor the state’s more than 43,000 living women veterans.

According to a press release, women have contributed to the defense of the U.S. since the Revolutionary War and are currently the fastest growing segment of the veteran population.

“Women veterans have proudly and selflessly served our nation for 250 years, and they deserve the proper recognition and support for heeding the call to duty,” Whitmer said, according to the press release. “I’m honored to declare June 12 as Women Veterans Recognition Day. It’s a public reminder that we’ve got to continue to make sure our women veterans have year-round support when they return home, like access to quality, appropriate health care, mental health services and affordable housing. Michigan is tremendously proud to be home to those who’ve served.”

Zaneta Adams, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA), helped to get Women Veterans Recognition Day recognized in 2018, but said more work is needed. 

“Women Veterans Recognition Day is meant to raise awareness of the 43,000-plus Michigan women veterans who have served in the military while helping other women veterans come out of the shadows and proclaim their veteran status,” Adams, an Army veteran herself, said. “Women veterans face many challenges – from dealing with military sexual trauma to inadequate health care to homelessness. Our hope is that the more we raise awareness, the better veteran-specific services will become for our women veterans.”

Just like male veterans, women veterans are often in need of support. According to MVAA’s women veterans and special populations coordinator and navy veteran Erika Hoover, women veterans are two to four times more likely to become homeless than women that are not veterans and face a suicide rate 1.8 times higher than that of non-veteran women.

“By raising public awareness that women are veterans too, and by encouraging them to first identify as veterans and then to take advantage of available resources, we can better help our women veterans thrive in all facets of their lives,” Hoover said.

An Army veteran of 32 years, Jill Mathews of Muskegon Heights, faced depression as she struggled with transitioning back to civilian life. She became a volunteer helping other women veterans. 

"Half the time you don't have to do anything," Mathews said. "You just have to say, ‘Hey I'm a veteran too and I see you. I see what you need and if you need me, call me.’ And that's it. Just be there for them."

There are currently about 2 million women veterans in the U.S., representing 11% of the veteran population.