By Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.)

Those who have served in our armed forces deserve to be protected and cared for as best we know how — not just with armor, but also healthcare, education, housing and support for the families who await their return. Today, more women are answering the call to serve, and more women veterans need access to services to which they are entitled. With an unprecedented number of women now serving in uniform, the challenge of providing adequate healthcare services for women veterans increases as well.

Women unofficially began serving in the military during our country’s struggle for independence. By either following their loved ones into battle to serve domestic roles or enlisting using male pseudonyms, records exist of the role women played in both the Revolutionary War and Civil War. It wasn’t until 1901, during the Spanish-American War, that an official role existed for women in the military when Congress established the nursing corps as an auxiliary of the Army. By the end of World War I, the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard had established similar nursing corps although they did not have the same status as the formal military.

With an increased need for personnel in World War II, however, the status of women in the military was solidified. In 1943, Congress created the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) to officially make them part of the Army instead of an auxiliary unit. And, although there was sentiment that roles for women should be reduced after the conclusion of WWII, there were strong advocates, such as Dwight D. Eisenhower, for maintaining a permanent presence of women in the military. In 1948, President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act making women a permanent part of the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force.

In the latter half of the 20th century through the present day, women have served proudly in every United States military conflict. Although there are certain roles that are currently not open to women, such as participating in special operations forces, there are increasingly more roles for women to serve in as our national defense capabilities evolve. For example, women serve in the Military Police, often requiring them to accompany and therefore face the same threats as infantry units from which they are barred from serving. Women have been active in defending their country from its beginning and their role cannot be underestimated or diminished.

It’s no surprise that as a result of the growing number of roles for women in the military, our country has seen an increase in the number of woman veterans. More than 1.7 million women nationally are military veterans. In addition, more than 177,000 brave women have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 2001 and nearly 27,000 are currently deployed in these wars.

Approximately 70,000 women have served and separated from military service in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). Among this group, in 2006 nearly 37.2 percent, or 25,960 sought and received healthcare from VA since separation from military service — up from 32.9 percent (15,903) in 2005. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the prevalence of potential Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among new OEF/OIF woman veterans treated at the VA from fiscal year 2002 to 2006 has grown dramatically from approximately one percent in 2002 to nearly 19 percent in 2006.

So the trend is clear, but not surprising: More women are answering the call to serve and more women veterans need access to services that they are entitled to. While the healthcare needs of male and female veterans are often similar, the VA must continue working to address the issues and unique healthcare challenges of women veterans. The VA has improved healthcare services for women veterans in recent years. However, there are many healthcare issues impacting woman veterans that still exist. This is why I introduced the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, H.R. 4107, along with the support of Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla).

The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act will expand and improve healthcare services available to women veterans, especially those serving in OEF/OIF, from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Among other things, the bill calls for a study on health care of women veterans who served in OEF and OIF, a study of barriers to women veterans seeking healthcare, an assessment of women veterans’ health care programs, enhancement of VA sexual trauma programs, enhancement of PTSD treatment for women, expansion of family counseling programs, establishment of a pilot program for child care services, establishment of a pilot program for counseling services in a retreat setting for women veterans, and add recently separated women veterans to the VA Advisory Committee on Women Veterans and the VA Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans.

The VA should prioritize women veterans’ programs to ensure that quality healthcare and specialized services are available equally for both women and men. I believe the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act will help the VA meet these specialized needs and develop new systems to better provide for the health care of women veterans. Let us renew our national promise to all of our nation’s veterans, who have sacrificed so that we can live free.

Herseth Sandlin is a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.