U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CWV - News Update

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Navy Veteran Claire VanLandingam.  She was commissioned a Navy Dental Corps officer on Dec. 9, 2013 and graduated from the University of Louisville School of Dentistry in early 2017. [From VAntage Point]

We honor her service.

Veterans with honorable service can apply for the Veterans Identification Card (VIC) to use as proof of military service.  If you already have a photo ID issued by the Department of Defense or a Veterans Health ID, you don’t need the new card. [From VAntage Point]

Women are the fastest growing segment of America’s Veteran population.  With roughly 2.2 million female Vets in the U.S., women make up about 10 percent of that population [From Richmond Times-Dispatch]

When Rebecca Thurston read the accounts of 150 women and girls sexually abused by a Michigan athletic doctor, one of the first things she worried about was their health – not the psychological effect of the abuse, but the long-term physical toll it could take on their bodies. [From The Washington Post]

February marks Black History Month and CBS4 News is honoring African American firsts in South Florida.  This week we are putting the spotlight on Sheila L. Chamberlain, she was the first U.S. Army African-American woman combat intelligence pilot. [From CBS Miami]

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is U.S. Air Force Veteran Agnes Helen Gomez Patterson.  Agnes served during the Cold War from 1950 to 1952. [From VAntage Point]

We honor your service, Agnes!

Six women veterans were honored for their service during a Legacy Women Veterans Recognition Event at the William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home on Wednesday.  The six women honored served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. [From TDT News]

Whether she’d posted a personal-best time, or suffered a collision on the track, Emily Sweeney would flash her trademark smile to fans, media, or anyone who watched her compete.  Even when sliding during frigid winter storms in challenging conditions, the New York National Guard Soldier kept smiling. [From U.S. Army]

Latest and Greatest in WoVen.  Check out the February 2018 round-up of WoVeN news and happenings! [From Women Veterans Network]

Millie Bailey grew up in the Deep South.  During World War II she joined the Army. [From Fox 5 News]

SWAN is conducting a short, 13-question survey of Active Duty, Guard and Reserve, Veteran and about their experiences accessing birth control and infertility treatments. [From SWAN]

In the USA, knowing your patient’s status as a Veteran is important for diagnosis, treatment, and benefits.  However, roughly 30% of female Veterans won’t self-identify as Veterans unless you ask.  Read more » [From Academy of Women’s Health]

Last November, 387 out of 1,000 candidates passed the qualifications and earned the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB).  Of those 387, six were women — the first women to achieve the badge, yet the public has heard little to nothing about this historic step. [From Army Times]

Six women quietly earned the Army’s coveted Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) in November.  They successfully navigated all 30 basic infantry skills and met the same physical standards as their male counterparts. [From Army Times]

With Veterans Day just around the corner – a day dedicated to acknowledging as a nation the hard work, commitment, and sacrifices of our service men and women – we felt it appropriate that our latest blog be dedicated to our country’s Veterans as well. [From The Blog: California Arts Council]

The Department of Veterans Affairs is coming under increasing pressure to change its motto to include female Veterans, through an effort championed by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the largest organization representing post-9/11 Veterans.  At issue is an 1865 quote from Abraham Lincoln, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” [From The Washington Post]

The number of sexual assaults reported at the U.S. Military Academy roughly doubled during the last school year, according to data reviewed by The Associated Press, in the latest example of the armed forces’ persistent struggle to root out such misbehavior.  It’s the fourth year in a row that sexual assault reports increased at the school in West Point, New York. [From Army Times]

Two civilian officials with the Marine Corps say their boss, a Marine officer, repeatedly made sexually explicit overtures to them at work, and their complaints to leadership were minimized. [From USA Today]

A Virginia Beach woman just earned her place in U.S. Coast Guard history by becoming the first woman in the Rescue Swimmer School through Annex X.  The early wake up calls and rigorous training is paying off for 18-year-old Meredith Sieller. [From Wavy.com]

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a condition associated with feeling sad or blue during certain times of the year.  It is a disorder that triggers symptoms of depression, most commonly in the fall or winter.  In the fall and winter there is less sunlight, hence it is sometimes called winter depression. [From VAntage Point]

Get the Recruitment & Retention, Employment & Integration, Well Being & Treatment, Servicwomen in the News, Women Veterans, and Upcoming Events DACOWITS news from February 2, 2018. [From DACOWITS]