Female Veterans Bill of Rights

The House of Representatives voted and passed H.R. 5953 An act to direct the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to display in each facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs a Women Veterans Bill of
Rights.

You can read the entire bill here Women Veterans Bill of Rights  This is a very important bill and when
it is sent to the Senate should be acted upon and passed quickly, with no changes.

It is just a shame that it has taken such a long time to finally face the undeniable fact that our Sister Veterans  deserve equal treatment and care.

Women Veterans are probably under more stress than their male counterparts. Stress, PTSD, are in
actuality harder for women. They have to perform the same as men, while at the same time are often
treated as less than equal, harassed-verbally, mentally and physically; and sad to say sexually abused.

When these brave women return home they find that their trials and tribulations are not over. The fight
goes on and becomes an even greater challenge. Far too often they travel down that long and lonely
road with no help.

Many of these women veterans are also mothers, often single mothers who find themselves with no
where to turn. A homeless veteran, male or female, is a blot on our country. A dark blemish that the
general public ignores and turns away from. This is not acceptable, and we as Americans should
be ashamed, we must do the proper and correct thing; and it must be done NOW.

While it is true that help is available many veterans do not know how or where to obtain proper care.
Our veterans were promised care when they joined the military, but it is very hard to find the help that
is needed.

One veteran lost is one too many. Our nation should stand up and not just say, but show, that we will
stand beside our military and our veterans. Every newspaper, every radio and TV station should do
their utmost to publicize how and where to go for assistance, and do it often; make sure that the
word gets out that Yes we do care, we will help you.

Why does it take so long, and why does it have to be an act of Congress to even begin to do the
right thing?

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996