The veteran women population is increasing, and it is more racially and ethnically diverse and degreed than their male veteran counterparts. The U.S. Department of Labor posted significant trends from RAND Corporation research indicating where we may need to target gender-specific needs to support women's transition to civilian life. Women veterans are more likely to succeed in joining the civilian labor workforce if they know where they can go to have their gender-specific and individual needs met.

Notably, approximately half of veteran women have a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 30 percent of veteran men, but earn less pay and experience more employment difficulties. The Wounded Warrior Project reported that social and economic factors, such as mental health and finances, impacted their transition to civilian life. Additionally, Congress has mandated Women's Health Transition Training to address healthcare issues that have been lacking in the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as TAP, since its launch in 2018.

Organizations Supporting Women Veterans

According to the VA National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, the percentage of women veterans is expected to rise from 10 percent today to 14 percent in 2032. As awareness of the holistic needs of women veterans increases, some organizations are stepping up to address these gaps. In response, these organizations include, but are not limited to:

Center for Women Veterans - A good place to start for a comprehensive review of benefits, resources, and opportunities handpicked by the VA for women veterans.

Women Veterans Alliance - Access to career resources for jobs, entrepreneurship, employers, and more. Includes an active "allies" directory of organizations designed to support women veterans.

Women Veterans Network - Curated list of civilian transition programs with contact information that complement TAP such as the Minority Women Veterans Organization and Women's Health Transition Training Program. Includes recreation, legal aid, housing, and relationship resources.

National Veterans Foundation - Provides women veterans information that is focused on getting started with personal, professional, educational support.

Foundation for Women Warriors - Resource that provides emergency and childcare stipends and needs assistance in select states such as California and Virginia, professional development support, and resource referrals.

Advice for Transitioning Women Veterans from Women Veterans

When women veterans share their personal experiences and advice for others, some key themes become clear. Networking and community strength make all the difference.

Women veterans who have had a successful civilian transition share that it was critical to start networking and saving money early - they emphasize this over resume-building, education, work experience, and TAP. Doing so allows women connect with other transitioning veteran women and seek professional assistance to translate their military skills and align their qualifications with civilian jobs. Many military women are multi-taskers with career and family and need to plan in advance to create more options for themselves. Another piece of advice women share relates to veterans being conditioned by the military to feel "stuck" in positions that don't suit them. Women veterans remind their peers that there is always the option to leave their current role if it is not suiting them and try something else until the right role comes along.

Melissa Washington, CEO and Founder of Women Veterans Alliance, shares her advice for veteran women. One significant issue, currently, is that veterans can't understand all the benefits out there, Washington emphasizes the importance of finding "your tribe" and a mentor, informal or formal. She notes how it is often easier for women veterans to talk to other women veterans because of the shared connection and understanding.

Having a sense of purpose in the military is easily understood as it organically conforms to a shared mission, core values, and community. The military tends to be a microcosm of society and typically excels at bonding and camaraderie for reasons like communal living at bases and deployments. Women veterans have mixed experiences when it comes to peer support and community during transitional phases. Their support systems and individual reception to change varies.

Women veterans can find renewed purpose through community service, reconnection with family or friends, and even returning to school. Those who find connection post-military life mention that their active involvement and effort was key.

Are Employment Organizations Meeting the Needs of Women Veterans?

In terms of organizations meeting the needs of employment services for transitioning career military women, there are still challenges related to feeling invisible alongside veteran men and opportunities to prove their value. In addition to early connection with Veteran Service Organizations, some women veterans advocate for more VA programs and services focused on women and more representation of women in male-dominated fields. There is also shared disappointment with veteran-friendly organizations that do not appear to align with their experiences, health and occupational check-ins at intervals may alleviate some misalignment.

What Women Veterans Wish They Had Known About Transitioning to Civilian Life

When women veterans are asked about what they wish they had known about the process or resources before leaving the military, their answers center on networking, self-accountability, and having a foundation in place that takes care of the whole person first. Taking action to reduce financial stress and proactively seeking support systems that could help with educational and health benefits or other needs, which includes looking beyond the DoD is important. The reach and frequency of TAP is currently not always effective for women veterans.

Emotional Needs During Transition

The emotional aspects of transitioning are significant for women veterans. Some women veterans have felt unprepared for how quickly the transition feels and underestimated the value of leaning on counseling services to reflect on their identity from a service member to a veteran.

Ultimately, what transitioning veteran women need to know is that networking and cultivating community are the highest impact factors for finding personalized support and reaching career goals. This helps veteran women with an abundance of resources and how to determine what information matters to them. Finding their network of support helps with distilling which resources will match their post-military life objectives. Early involvement prior to separation also shows what may need to be prioritized to build a new foundation, but also what may not be known. Campuses that do not have structures and programming in place for their women student veterans should be advised to implement and build supports specifically for this population of students. The key takeaway is to start now.

Article Topics

Military Friendly Institutions Serving Military in HigherEd Veterans Academic Success Women Veterans Workplace Inclusion

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