Women have formally been a part of the U.S. Armed Forces since 1901, with the inception of the Army Nurse Corps, but they have informally served since the inception of our nation’s military. Women have proudly served their country throughout all periods of our country’s history, whether they dressed up in the disguise of a male soldier during the American Revolution, served as nurses in both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, or as combat helicopter pilots in Afghanistan. These women have also fought against a traditionally male-dominated institution, paving the way so today’s military women have the honor of serving their coun¬try, not as women, but as soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. But a large percentage of women Veterans have faced issues that their male counterparts have experienced in smaller numbers, including military sexual trauma and a prejudice about their abilities based on their gender.
Did you know that women are the fastest growing group within the Veteran population? Over the past 30 years, women have entered the military in ever-increasing numbers. Ultimately, these women will make the transition from Servicemember to Veteran. With women making up nearly 12 percent of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans, the face of who Veterans are is changing. Over half of these women Veterans were born after 1970, making them, on average, a younger group than their male counterparts.
| Date | Article |
| 1/7/2014 | 2013 CalVet Women Veteran Leadership Conference Interviews by Veterans Helping Veterans TV |
| 11/17/2010 | Women Veteran Statistics 2010 |