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

Get the Recruitment & Retention, Employment & Integration, Well Being & Treatment, Servicwomen in the News, Women Veterans, and Upcoming Events DACOWITS news from March 2021. [From DACOWITS]

You may think of yoga as a practice only done by the young and flexible, but all of us can do it. After a recent knee surgery, I was unable to get around without crutches, but I was still able to do breathing practices, meditate, and even some yoga postures in a chair. [From VAntage Point]

It can be very healing for survivors of any kind of trauma to feel heard, validated and supported as they recover. This can be especially true for survivors of military sexual trauma (MST), many of whom may be suffering alone – feeling ashamed, disconnected or unable to talk with anyone about their experience. That’s why, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month this April, VA’s message to MST survivors is this: We believe you – and we believe in you. [From VAntage Point]

About six million enrolled Veterans use VA health care, and VA has successfully given at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to more than two million of those Veterans, with more getting vaccinated every day. But there’s still more to do: VA will vaccinate every Veteran and spouse and caregiver. [From VAntage Point]

The National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) hosted an hourlong listening session earlier this month. In attendance were 12 women serving as state directors, commissioners or executives, the highest number in the organization’s history. [From VAntage Point]

Grace Murray Hopper was born in New York City in 1906. In 1928, she graduated from Vassar College with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physics. In 1930, Hopper attended Yale University and received a master’s degree in mathematics. She received her doctorate in mathematics and mathematical physics from Yale in 1934. [From VAntage Point]

We honor her service.

I felt great pride when Secretary McDonough swore me in as VA chief of staff during this year’s Women’s History Month. It’s been a little over a century since the 19th Amendment was ratified, granting American women the right to vote. Vice President Kamala Harris took her oath in January making her the first woman – and the first woman of color – to hold the second highest office in our country. And during the inauguration, Amanda Gorman – a remarkable young woman and poet – reminded us that “being American is more than a pride / we inherit, / it’s the past we step into / and how we repair it.” [From VAntage Point]

According to the Department of Labor (DOL), there are almost two million women Veterans living in the United States. Women Veterans continue to make positive strides in education, career and entrepreneurship, with many turning to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields for their career choices. [From VAntage Point]

Breast cancer diagnoses have dropped by more than 50% since the spring of 2020. That’s not necessarily a good thing. Early in the pandemic, hospitals and community screening facilities closed. Many women had their routine mammograms postponed or canceled unless symptoms of cancer were present. [From VAntage Point]

During Women’s History Month, today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Lauran Glover, the first woman to lead the U.S. Army Drill Team. Lauran Glover was born in Westerville, Ohio, and raised in Columbus. She attended the University of Findlay where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. [From VAntage Point]

We honor your service, Lauran!

VA is listening to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. This blog series answers questions from Veterans. This entry is the second in a two-part series. [From VAntage Point]