Number of female veterans treated by the VA is rapidly increasing

It might surprise some to learn that 11% of our armed forces are made up of women; that equates to more than 240,000 female soldiers that have been deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan.  This number represents the highest number of women involved in any conflict of which the U.S. has been involved.  (For comparison's sake, the Department of Defense estimates that only 7,500 women served on active duty in Vietnam.)    

A female soldier not only deserve the same respect as their male counterpart, they should also be recognized by the Veterans Administration (VA) in the same capacity.  However, according to some, the VA is playing 'catch-up' when it comes to the treatment of our female veterans.

Advocate groups such as the Service Women's Action Network claim that female veterans are viewed in a different light when they attempt to seek treatment through the VA--even attending a medical appointment can be an extremely stressful experience for a woman veteran.  Some servicewomen feel that they are forced to prove their veteran status in spite of the fact that they are coming to the VA with post-traumatic stress disorder, or in some instances, traumatic physical injuries such as a loss of limb.

The problem with these claims is that no official studies have been performed to determine if indeed there is a bias toward male soldiers that make it more difficult for female soldiers to receive treatment.  At present, the only word we have on the matter is that of our female veterans.