March is Women’s History Month, in which we pay tribute to the important role women played in the history of the United States. For generations, women have been an integral part of the U.S. armed forces, breaking down barriers and changing our society for the better.
While this month is intended to celebrate all women, we thought it would a great time to honor women veterans, specifically, for their past, present and future service to this country.
While studies show that most people think of men when they picture veterans, women have had a role in our armed services for most of our history.
Women Veterans By-The-Numbers
Here are a few interesting numbers surrounding women in the armed services:
- 2 Million: The number of women veterans of the United States armed services
- 384,548: The number of businesses owned by women veterans
- 219,000: The number of active-duty servicewomen
- 36,000: The number of women who served in WWI
- 6: The number of women veterans who currently hold seats in Congress
As the fastest growing Veteran subpopulation, women Veterans are making their mark. According to the VA, as of 2012, only three veteran women in history ever held a seat in Congress. Today, there are six elected women veterans on Capitol Hill.
“But while the success of our women Veterans is undeniable, the explosive growth in the number of women Veterans means VA must continue to adapt to better meet their diverse needs,” says Margarita Devlin, a veteran and VA employee. For more information on VA women’s healthcare services, click here.
Today, women make up 15 percent of all active-duty service members and 20 percent of new recruits.
Let’s take a moment to salute the women who, literally, sacrifice everything for us. March is Women’s History Month, but we should recognize the women in our lives, especially those who served in our armed services, today and every day.
