Female veterans — where are you?

By Jackie Valley

Friday, June 5, 2015 | 2 a.m.

As Nevada officials ponder ways to improve services for female veterans, they first must answer a puzzling question: Where are they?

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates more than 21,000 female veterans live in Nevada, but the state Department of Veterans Services has identified only about 2,500, according to officials.

“If you can’t find them, you can’t help them,” said Bobi Oates, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant and member of the Women Veterans Advisory Committee.

The issue is at the heart of recommendations outlined in a report the Women Veterans Advisory Committee submitted to Gov. Brian Sandoval this month. Of the 18 recommendations listed, seven relate to identifying Nevada women who are U.S. military veterans and raising awareness about the benefits they may be eligible to receive.

Sandoval established the advisory panel last year, charging members with locating, educating and advocating for female veterans in the state. Since then, the committee has conducted a series of public meetings, issued surveys and had conversations with female veterans.

The VA says female veterans are one of the fastest-growing populations; they will account for 10.5 percent of all U.S. veterans by 2020. Currently, about 9.2 percent of living veterans are women.

But identifying where the veterans live has been a struggle, partly because the U.S. Census Bureau doesn’t require residents to note whether they are veterans, said Richard Beam, a VA spokesman.

Awareness is part of the problem. Not all women who served in the military, especially during World War II and the Korean War, realize they are veterans, Oates said.

“If they didn’t serve in combat, they don’t see themselves as veterans,” she said.

A recommendation seeks to change that by altering language on state documents. The committee suggests state agencies ask people if they’ve ever served in the U.S. military versus, “Are you a veteran?”

The committee also supports developing a database with information about Nevada veterans and a strategic plan to reach the population. Funding for a public-messaging campaign would be necessary, the report noted.

“I do wish there was an easy mechanism to reach back to our veterans,” Beam said. “How we get there I don’t know.”

In lieu of knocking on doors, which is unrealistic, Beam said the department stresses the importance of making sure women seeking services have the best possible experience at VA facilities. Officials hope the women will chat with friends and encourage them to visit as well.

Part of providing a positive experience, however, is offering services women need. The advisory committee called for a full-time obstetrician/gynecologist at the Women’s Health Center. The request was granted in March when the VA hired a physician specializing in gynecology and urology.

Beam said the reason for not having a full-time gynecologist was more because of demand than oversight.

“The problem is we didn’t have enough consumers,” Beam said.

The VA has to balance spending tax dollars with meeting people's needs, Beam said. The more female veterans who seek services, he said, the more likely the VA will expand its offerings.

“There’s probably a good number of female veterans who don’t understand they’re eligible,” he said.

Social organizations, such as Women Veterans of Nevada, have encountered similar challenges. Oates said about 25 to 30 women attend group meetings every other month, but the organization hopes to attract younger women who could benefit from interacting with older veterans.

“You’re not alone out there,” Oates told the group. “You don’t have to face things on your own.”