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New VA reality: women

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are forging a new place in history for military women, who make up more than 10 percent of the deployed force.

The law still bans women from serving in direct combat jobs. But in today’s counterinsurgency campaigns, which have no “front lines,” women are in the thick of combat as military police, pilots, drivers, doctors, nurses, medics and “Team Lioness” liaison troops — and in other jobs, as well.

But their growing combat and combat support roles come with a commensurate increase in post-deployment issues. And some of those are unique to their gender.

Many report difficulties trying to persuade the Department of Veterans Affairs that their injuries, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues, are war-related, when their job specialty was, say, logistics. Proving mental health problems resulting from sexual trauma or assault is particularly challenging.

Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash, and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., along with Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., have introduced legislation that would address some of these issues head-on.

They want VA to expand training for mental health workers who treat women suffering from sexual trauma in service, provide child care during mental health appointments and take other steps to make it easier for women to get help.

With the number of female veterans at 1.8 million and the number of women using VA health services expected to double by 2014, such changes are overdue.

Congress and VA must act quickly and decisively to confront the unique challenges faced by female veterans and ensure that the safety net designed long ago for men is at least as effective in treating women.