Women Now Face The Same Risks As Men In War

WOMEN AND WAR - Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Richard H. Solomon, president, U.S. Institute of Peace, answer questions from the audience at the U.S. Institute of Peace Women and War Conference in Washington, D.C., Nov. 4, 2010. The conference recognizes the 10th Anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, which requires parties in conflicts to respect women's rights and participation in post-conflict reconstruction and peace negotiations. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Women Facing The Same Risks As Men In Wars, Mullen Says -- CNN

Washington (CNN) -- Despite laws barring women on the front lines, the top U.S. military officer said Thursday that many women have faced the same dangers as men on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I know what the law says, and I know what it requires. But I'd be hard pressed to say that any woman who serves in Afghanistan today, or who served in Iraq over the last few years, did so without facing the risks of their male counterparts," said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a speech to the U.S. Institute of Peace.

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My Comment: Adm. Mullen has more to say on this topic here. The section in the U.S. Department of Defense article that got my attention came from Mrs. Mullen, and it is the following ....

Regarding homelessness, a growing problem particularly for young female veterans, Mrs. Mullen said the issue begins in the military. A significant number of homeless female veterans experienced sexual trauma in the military, she explained, which can lead to post-traumatic stress.

Also, Mrs. Mullen said, many women don’t even think of themselves as veterans after they leave the military, and communities often don’t look at them that way, making them less likely to use veterans benefits to seek the help they need.

Female veterans have a higher divorce rate and lower civilian pay rate than their male counterparts, and one-fourth of female homeless veterans have children in their custody, Mrs. Mullen said. The trajectory of such women after leaving service too often is “couch surfing, or sleeping in their cars,” then into homeless shelters, she said.

It seems that for many female vets, the war continues even when they leave the service. Both articles are sobering, and need to be read.