LVMAC Tidbit: DMVA Surveying Women Veterans to Find Out More About Their Needs

[Editor’s Note:  The news release speaks for itself.  We hope the effort will be successful and encourage our female veterans to participate.  Hopefully, a useful program meeting a truly critical need will emerge from the findings of the survey.  Our veterans affairs system often causes our commonwealth to ride trail on other, more progressive states.  No one should ever want to ride trail.  Such efforts might help.]

PA DMVA Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2018

Survey Sets Out to Identify Unique Challenges Faced by Pennsylvania’s Approximately 60,000 Women Veterans

Number of Women Veterans is in an Upward Trajectory Nationwide

Annville, PA A report by the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics projects that by 2043 the number of women veterans will increase from about 10 percent to more than 16 percent of all living veterans. With this number on the rise, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) has partnered on a survey with the Women Veterans Committee of the Governor’s Advisory Council of Veterans Services to identify issues of unique concern to Pennsylvania’s approximately 60,000 women veterans. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Wilkes-Barre VA Is Suddenly Interested in How Women Dress

Women Veterans Program partners with Dress for Success

va_sealA little short on the notice, the information below being released yesterday,  but women veterans in our area ought be aware that Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center has a women’s program.  This is one of its latest offerings:

What:  The Women Veterans Program at the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is inviting all Women Veterans to a presentation by Linda Armstrong of Dress for Success.  Dress for Success is an organization aimed at enhancing the professional development of women.  The program offers a variety of resources, including no cost professional attire and skills based development activities, necessary to build and enhance a successful career.

VA Eligibility and Human Resource Staff will also be available to answer your questions regarding enrollment for VA Services and VA employment.

For more information, contact Pat Conroy, Women Veterans Program Manager, at 824- 3521 ext. 7517 or Patricia.Conroy2@va.gov.

Attendees are asked to RSVP to Pat Conroy by close of business Wednesday, September 21, 2016. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — Looking for a Few Good Women

HFHLV Women's Build 2013No, it is not Marine recruiting we’re talking about, but instead a Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley request for veterans as construction volunteers.

They seek about 10 to 20 women who are veterans or in the Guard and Reserves for a day’s worth of construction during its Women’s Blitz Build on St. James St. in Bethlehem expected to occur from August 13 through 24, this year. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — A Women Veterans Symposium, First of Its Kind in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), under which the Office of Veterans Affairs is found,  is hosting its first Pennsylvania Women Veterans Symposium (PWVS) on March 8-10, 2013, at the Wyndham Hotel in Gettysburg.  All Pennsylvania women veterans, regardless of period of service, are welcome.

The symposium is geared to meet the needs of women veterans by providing them with information and resources, to include VA benefits and health care.  Important guest speakers will be featured, as well as breakout sessions on a variety of topics of particular interest to women veterans.  The event will also provide an opportunity to meet fellow vets and build camaraderie. (more…)

LVMAC Tidbit — A Special Retreat for Women Veterans

ALL WOMEN VETERANS IN PENNSYLVANIA,  STAND UP!

 ATTENTION:

What:  Women Veterans Retreat
Where: Comfort Inn, Duncansville, PA
When:  From 22 March at 4:30 p.m. to 24 March at about 9 a.m.
Cost:    Free, courtesy of state VFW Posts and Ladies Auxiliaries
RSVP required:  PAWomenVets2013@gmail.com by 1 March 2013
Primary POC:  Sandy Showalter, Chair, Women’s Programs, VFW Dept. of PA

Registration starts 22 March at 4:30 p.m. Bring a DD Form 214 or its equivalent, VA Card, or Military ID Card.  Program starts 22 March at 6:00 p.m.

This one-of-a-kind event is open to any woman veteran of any period of service and sponsored by women veterans for women veterans. You do not have to be affiliated with any organization — this event is not about organizations. Come learn about your benefits, learn about yourself, enjoy the company of other women veterans, be “vet proud,” and also feel the appreciation of the Blair County community. (more…)

LVMAC News

Speaker:  Dr. Margot O’Donnell, a Pyschiatrist with Philadelphia VA Medical Center’s Women’s Clinic spoke on women in the military.  Overall, women now comprise 9-11% of the military service (in the Active Components it is 14%) and 90% of positions are available to them.  There are also 250,000 female veterans nowadays and the number is growing and compared to the general population of veterans is growing and getting younger. This presents new challenges for the VA.

(more…)