>> >>: WHEN VETERAN TERA WISE NEEDS TO LED LET GO OF THE STRESS OF HER HECTIC DAY, SHE
HEADS TO THE PEACE PALACE IN INSON ITA S, TO PRACTICE TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION, OR
TM.
>> >>: TM WAS ABLE TO HELP ME Y REALIZE I WILL ALWAYS WE BE A WOMEN VETERAN.
I'M ALSO SUPPOSED TO HAVE CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF MY ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE.
>> >>: WISE SERVED SEVEN YEARS IN THE NAVY.
IT'S A TIME IN HER LIFE SHE DOESN'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
WISE WAS THE VICTIM OF SEXUAL ABUSE WHILE IN THE MILITARY AND HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH
MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.
SHE SAYS THE ANGUISH SHE SUFFERED IN THE MILITARY LEFT HER IN A DEEP DEPRESSION WHEN SHE LEFT
THE SERVICES.
>> >>: I WAS AT A PLACE WHEN I JUST SAW NOTHING BUT COMPLETE DARKNESS AND I WAS SUFFERING
FROM SEVERE DEPRESSION, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHY.
THAT'S D THE DIFFICULT PART IS NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU.
>> >>: WISE SAYS SHE WAS USED TO BE PART OF A SISTERHOOD IN THE MILITARY.
THE DESIRE TO RECREATE THAT FEMALE SUPPORT NETWORK INSPIRED WISE TO START NATIONAL WOMEN'S
VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.
>> >>: I'VE YOU KNOW REALLY HAD CHALLENGES ALL THE CHALLENGES OF BEING A WOMAN VETERAN,
FROM BEING A HOMELESS WOMAN VETERAN WITH CHILD.
WHEN I FIRST GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY, IT WAS ME AND MY SON, MY SON WAS THREE YEARS OLD.
I STRUGGLED LOOKING FOR RESOURCES ANDÊ BUT I WAS AD MINUTE I WAS NOT GOING TO BE ONE
OF THOSE STATISTICS.
>> >>: AND THOSE STATISTICS ARE STARTLING.
ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, THE NUMBER OF FEMALE VETERANS IN THE
UNITED STATES ROSE 140% BETWEEN 2006 AND 200010.
WISE SAYS THE THEY WORK TO HELP FEMALE VETERANS TO CUT THROUGH RED TAPE TO FIND RESOURCES
TO STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET.
>> >>: YOU TRY TO TAP INTO ALL THE RESOURCES KNOWING WHAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE IS THE NUMBER
ONE CHALLENGE.
BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE RESOURCES.
BECAUSE THE VETERANS OR GOVERNMENT THERE'S SO MUCH BUREAUCRACY, SO IT'S OVERWHELMING
SYSTEM.
AND YOU JUST HAVE TO FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH AND LOOK FOR DOORS THAT WILL OPEN.
YOU'LL GET A LOT OF DOORS THAT ARE CLOSED, BUT LOOK FOR DOORS THAT ARE OPEN.
THERE'S VERY FEW, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN VETERANS, SW SPECIFIC INTEREST IN WOMEN VETERANS.
>> >>: WISE SAYS THE VA NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PROVIDING HEALTH CARE THAT'S UNIQUE
TO WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED.
THE FOLKS HERE AT THE VA IN LA JOLLA SAY THERE ARE A VARIETY OF SERVICES, FOR WOMEN MANY
FEMALE VETERANS AREN'T AWARE OF, EVERYTHING FROM MAMMOGRAMS, TO GROUP THERAPY.
>> >>: IT BREAKS MY HEARTED TO HAVE PEOPLE SAY I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD HAVE COME TO THE
VA.
I DIDN'T KNOW THESE SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE TO ME.
>> >>: DEBBIE DOMINIC WORKS AT THE VA IN LA JOLLA.
SHE SAYS OUTREACH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN VETERANS.
MALE VETERANS OFTEN LEARN ABOUT THE SERVICES THE VA PROVIDES FROM THEIR FATHERS OR BROTHER
WHOSE WERE IN THE MILITARY, BUT WOMEN OFTEN DON'T HAVE THOSE SAME CONNECTIONS.
WOMEN MAKE UP NEARLY 12% OF THE VETERANS OF THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS.
DOMINIC SAYS THE VA HAS TO RESPOND TO THE INCREASE IN WOMEN NEEDING SERVICES.
>> >>: THERE'S AN OBSERVATION THAT THERE ARE MORE WOMEN AND WE NEED TO BE MORE COGNISANT
OF THAT AND PROVIDE WOMEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE TOGETHER, WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED TO BE TOGETHER.
>> >>: THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS SUFFERING FROM SEXUAL
MILITARY TRAUMA, LIKE TERA WISE.
TWENTY% OF WOMEN WHO GET THEIR HEALTH CARE THROUGH THE VA RESPONDED YES WHEN SCREENED
FOR MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA.
DOMINIC SAYS THE FOLKS AT THE VA WORK HARD TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS OF WOMEN, DIAGNOSED
WITH MST.
>> >>: WE MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR AT THE FIRST APPOINTMENT, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE SOMEBODY
ELSE BE IN THE ROOM WITH YOU, THERE'S A STAFF MEMBER THAT CAN STEP IN.
ANY TIME WE'RE MEETING OR SEEING A VETERAN, WE ASK THAT QUESTION.
>> >>: FEMALE VETERAN WHOSE WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO THEM
THROUGH THE VA CAN STOP BY ANY VA HOSPITAL OR GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
WEBSITE.
BETH FORD ROTH, KPBS NEWS.