November/December 2014
Greetings MOPH Ladies,
In November, we celebrated Veterans Day across the country to honor all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces.  Thank you ladies for your service and selfless sacrifice for our Nation.  Your efforts assist this country in maintaining its freedom and you have helped people in other nations across the globe achieve freedom as well.  As Purple Heart recipients, we truly are an exceptional few among the masses.  

On Veterans Day, MOPH National Leadership participated in numerous events across our Nation's capital to recognize and honor our members and all veterans.  I was extremely humbled to have the honor of laying a wreath at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. on November 11.  During the ceremony, I had the opportunity to meet and speak with several veterans from "the greatest generation."  All of them had incredible stories about their service!  While no female WWII veterans were present that day, did you know that over 400,000 women served during WWII?

On Veterans Day, I was also interviewed by Dana Loesch on The Dana Show.  During that interview, I had the opportunity to briefly discuss MOPH's efforts to assist combat wounded veterans.  If you would like to listen to the Dana Loesch interview from Veterans Day, please click here.

I hope all of you and your families had an incredible Thanksgiving.  As we continue to move into the month of December, I wish all of you and your loved ones an incredible and blessed holiday season and a wonderful New Year!

If I can do anything to assist you, please contact me at WomenVeterans@purpleheart.org.

Yours In Patriotism,
Wendy Buckingham
National Women Veterans Program Director
Save the Date!

Branson Honors
Purple Heart Recipients
April 23,24, & 25, 2015
DAV Releases its Report on Women Veterans: 
The Long Journey Home
 
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) recently released a comprehensive report about women veterans that covers health care, transition services, disability compensation, employment, and housing/homelessness.  The research within the report shows that federal agencies and community service providers are still failing to understand that women are impacted differently than men by military service and deployments.  The report makes 27 overarching recommendations to stimulate cultural change and create new services that will better assist the needs of women veterans.  If you are interested in reading the report, please click here:
MOPH Scholarship Program

The deadline to apply for a scholarship through the MOPH Scholarship Program is rapidly approaching!  All applications are due by January 21, 2014.  Don't miss the opportunity to apply!  If you are interested in applying or finding out more information about the MOPH Scholarship Program, please click here:
http://www.purpleheart.org/scholarships

Don't forget - three of our female MOPH members sit on the MOPH Scholarship Committee!
 Tuition-Free Online Training Through the National Education Foundation

Scholarship opportunities keep coming this month!  The National Education Foundation is offering a scholarship opportunity for veterans.  Through January 31, 2015, veterans have unlimited 24/7 access to 635 courses in Business, Management, Professional Development, and IT.  If you believe these courses could benefit you or another veteran, please click on the link: http://www.nefuniversity.org
 Our Military Kids 
  
Ladies, have you heard of Our Military Kids?  It is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) with a mission to support children of severely injured service members, children of our fallen, and children of deployed reserve personnel and guardsmen.  Our Military Kids provides grants to pay for extra-curricular activities for children during difficult transitional periods, such as when a military parent is deployed, recovering from severe injuries, or has been killed in the line of duty serving our nation.  If you are interested in this program, please check out the website located here:  www.ourmilitarykids.org 
 
Interested in Continuing to Serve Your Country Through Political Office? 

If so, check out Veterans Campaign here: http://www.veteranscampaign.org/#home. Veterans Campaign is a non-partisan, non-ideological organization whose mission is to train veterans to run for public office and encourage more veterans to continue their legacy of public service as elected officials. The organization holds campaign training workshops, sponsors lectures, and conducts research - all aimed at helping veterans learn more about the campaign process!

VA Expands Eligibility for VA Health Care Related to

Military Sexual Trauma 

 

On December 1, 2014, the VA announced expanded eligibility for veterans in need of mental health care due to sexual assault or sexual harassment that occurred during their military service.  For more information on this change, please read the following news release from the VA Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs:  http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2663. 

 

VA Information about Traumatic Stress in Women Veterans 

 

Based on VA statistics, almost 20% of women veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have been diagnosed with PTSD and about 27% of women veterans of Vietnam suffered from PTSD at some point during their post-war lives.  To find more information about traumatic stress in women veterans, please visit the VA's National Center for PTSD online located here: 

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/women/traumatic-stress-female-vets.asp.