UPDATE (3/6/2017): Due to unforeseen circumstances that date for the summit must be changed to a later date.  As soon as the new date is set, information will be posted here.

 

Women Veterans account for approximately 10 percent of the U.S. Veteran population, which will grow to 15 percent by 2030. While many of their challenges and opportunities are similar to those of their male counterparts, some are unique or disproportionate to the women Veterans population—which is younger and more ethnically diverse than their male peers.   It is for this reason that VA is planning a national platform to discuss these issues—the 2017 National Women Veterans Summit.

The 2017 summit will focus on the needs and issues important to women Veterans and provide training, information and guidance to assist women Veterans—and those who serve them—with navigating through VA and community resources.

womens Summit logoThis event, the first national-level women Veterans summit since 2011, will bring together key stakeholders from across a variety of sectors, to identify challenges and opportunities facing women Veterans and collaborate on identifying and diffusing best practices in serving them. It is designed to promote forward-thinking dialogue and innovative collaboration among private industry, nonprofit organizations, the federal government, innovators, researchers, caregivers, and women Veterans.

The target audience for the summit includes women Veterans; public sector partners, including military, federal, state, and local agencies; Veterans service organizations and other nonprofit partners; academics and others in the research community; representatives from the tech industry and corporations; other community partners; and VA employees, including women Veteran program managers and women Veteran coordinators. The summit will consist of lectures, discussion panels, an exhibit hall and an open forum. Discussion by all attendees will be encouraged throughout the event.

Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from VA leadership, and participate in breakout sessions focused on employment, mental health, entrepreneurship, military sexual trauma, reproductive health, culture change and more. Additionally, plenary sessions will focus on VA care and benefits, partner organizations, and a special “Voice of the Veteran” panel.  The event will also feature a women Veterans art exhibit, a display of artwork by select women Veteran artists from across the United States.

The event is tentatively scheduled for April 21 through April 22 in Dallas, Texas. These dates and a location will be confirmed soon. Please check out the Center for Women Veterans website for updates and registration information. We hope to see you there.

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55 Comments

  1. Renae Byrd McMinn January 25, 2017 at 09:59

    Please send me information!! I have a group of women who want to come from western Colorado.

  2. Corazon Applewhite January 25, 2017 at 08:13

    Hello,
    Do we need to register for the Women’s Veterans summit in Dallas? If so can that link be provided?

  3. Stephanie Cutts January 25, 2017 at 02:10

    Hello Karla, My name is Stephanie Cutts and Im interested in attending the Summit this Mar 2017..I served from Apr 76 to Nov 81…None of the departments now engaged for women was available when I dischareged…I was also one of few women at that time stationed where there were very few female soldiers…I am 40 years behind most female veterans with knowing about the many changes now available for todays female veterans…I say all this to request an invitation to this informative event thia March. ook forward to meeting all the female veterans in attendace and learning and participating in Summit..

  4. Rebecca Johnston January 24, 2017 at 11:58

    Please provide the location, so we can make travel and hotel plans!
    Rebecca Johnston
    USMC Retired
    DAV TN Chapter #22 Commander

  5. Janet Batchelor January 23, 2017 at 17:07

    Where do we register for this summit or is it only for Texas Women Veterans?

  6. Diane Hadden January 23, 2017 at 14:29

    Hello. I work for non-profit organization that help veterans find employment and would love to know how to take part on a panel and/or have a table set up for this event. Thank you
    Diane Hadden

  7. MaryB January 22, 2017 at 11:08

    Thank you for organizing the Women Vet Summit; I attended the last one on the East Coast. The date of this Summit, the announcement of Summit and the registration limits the participation of women vets across the nation to attend. Unless you are a women vet with unlimited funds and unemployed, it will be difficult to be included. Since the dates are tentative, I and many other women veterans would appreciate at least 6 months if not more to prepare for travel. Thank you for your consideration.

  8. Gracie A. Gibson January 20, 2017 at 14:40

    Hi Kayla, I was forwarded this information. I have a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Remembering All Veterans Everyday Organization in Columbia, SC. Our primary focus is with the homeless veteran population. We have started networking across the country to assist veterans that are homeless and help assist them in seeking shelter or housing. Would like to get more information of your upcoming summit.
    Thank you
    Gracie Gibson
    President/Founder
    Remembering All Veterans Everyday Organization

  9. Cathy January 18, 2017 at 18:22

    Are there vending opportunities available? How do we register for a table? Thank you?

  10. DAVID REITTER January 18, 2017 at 16:55

    Freeing Ms. Bradley gave President Obama a legacy . It was the first right thing done in his administration.

    Its a wonder the surgery while imprisoned was a partial extraction of the brain, instead of transgender.

    Ms. Bradley is a family of one & their certainly not going to extract that human identity.

    This sort of help make up for Mr. ” Bergdaht ” or the soldier who wandered off exploring during wartime & was captured. President Obama swapped terrorist for him. Then President Obama let him soldier again. The soldier should have been given a discharge . The light is on all the proud soldiers, President Obama discharged for making comments of freedom in our free world.

    Now pardon Mr. Snowden & Mr. Martin Luther King for speaking the truth

  11. Connie Gardner January 17, 2017 at 14:48

    I plan my schedule up to a year in advance, two months is not enough time for most to be able to attend. I already am scheduled for the 17th. I have been waiting for several years for the next summit, and would have liked to attend, but with short notice am not able to do so. Next time can we have more notice.

    Connie Gardner
    DAV Department of California Chapter 85 Commander
    DAV Department of California Women’s Veteran Advisor
    DAV Department of California Legislative Advisor

  12. Pam Brooks Snowden January 16, 2017 at 21:09

    So happy to hear positive feedback for this issue.

  13. olga ferrer January 16, 2017 at 19:20

    My name is Olga Ferrer I’m disabled veteran that suffers from MST. I have a nonprofit organization that raise awareness for MST/PTSD. I will like to know if you have any grants that can cover our trip to the event.
    http://www.ablackrose.org

  14. Marylyn Harris January 15, 2017 at 21:14

    Hello Kayla,
    We would like to be involved in the upcoming 2017 TEXAS Women Veterans Summit. Please have your Team contact us.
    Thank you,
    Marylyn Harris
    Executive Director
    Women Veterans Business Center
    Houston, TX

  15. Carrie Abernethy January 15, 2017 at 19:01

    I am also interested in attending the Women Veteran Summit in March 2017 but did not see the registration link on the Center for Women Veterans page. I will continue to check the site for updates. Thank you all for your service.

  16. Kimberly A. Napoleon January 15, 2017 at 17:48

    I too am a female veteran who share many of you all concerns. It would be nice to be included in panel discussion on MST, infectious diseases. The trauma of losing as a direct result of infectious disease as well as speaking on how to overcome having a tubal ligation because of fhe disease that lead to uterine fibroids leading to a hysterectomy and then breast cancer.
    I’ve survived all of the above. Then had a privacy/hippy breach and disclosure to add insult to injury and all I get was “VA can’t prove it because your records are not sensitive.
    There’s so much as can talk about but the right people need to not only hear these events, but put in a plan of actions to help us who served.
    I look forward to more details on this conference. Prayot sooner than later for those that are traveling.
    Regards
    K. A. Napoleon

  17. U. Lisa Williams January 15, 2017 at 16:24

    Excited and will be attending along with many other Warrior Sisters in my location!!!
    To all involved in the event-thank you for your time and support!
    To all who have served and still serving,-thank you for your service!!!
    Our women veterans organization can be contacted through our website-http://www.okwvo.org.

  18. stephanie rowena stewart goodwin January 15, 2017 at 11:35

    i would love to attend- where ist the overnight stay suppose to be and how do register

  19. Trecia Rodgers January 15, 2017 at 09:58

    I am a combat veteran myself and have met with much ignorance. I provide female veteran and veteran’s wives equine therapeutic riding lessons and the stories I hear are infuriating. I would really like to attend. Please send me registration information Thank you.

    • Nancy Gregg Pasiecznik January 21, 2017 at 22:07

      Trecia Rodgers: I am interested in getting a therapeutic riding program coordinated between the VA and a local equestrian center. Would you please contact me by email or Facebook and tell me how your program works, what kinds of forms and contracts you used, number of participants in each class, etc.. Thank you

  20. Barbara Summey Marshall January 15, 2017 at 08:09

    The March 2017 Women Veterans Summit is welcomed and needed. Many chapters in Women Veterans History have been written since 2011. Women Veterans are indomitable individuals. Sisters facing forward, carrying our packs, looking out for each other and refusing to remain “Invisible Veterans” Please insure that there are Chaplains and Counselors to offer comfort and encouragement for some of us who have been in a war zone [in and out of the military ranks] and the emotional and intellectual wounds are many. The State of North Carolina — especially Asheville NC and Fort Bragg/ Fayetteville NC have been a proving ground for Women Veterans. We have refused to sit in the back of the bus, to be intimidated, humiliated and relegated to second class citizenship. We continue to fight for honor and due process. …Grateful for the service and sacrifice of WomenVeterans. #WeBeenInHarmsWay #3MillionStrong #EpicWomenVeterans

  21. Nancy Gregg Pasiecznik January 15, 2017 at 00:30

    I am interested in attending the summit. Pleas send me all information concerning it, including location, hotel, agenda/schedule, related costs, etc.

  22. Tyrann Bodiford January 14, 2017 at 23:25

    Please how can u register for Dallas event in March. Thank you

  23. Sandra Pierce January 14, 2017 at 17:11

    Hi Kayla,
    I am a veteran and would love to be a hostess for this event. I could be available to assist in registration, on site preparations and after actions support for the conference. Please advise if you have any surrogate positions available.

    Sandra P

  24. Rebecca Bradley January 14, 2017 at 12:22

    As a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) I find that VA guidelines for homeless Veterans disproportionately affects Women Veterans thereby, leaving many Women Veterans homeless and many of the newly constructed Veterans homes and apartments nearly ninety percent plus housed with men. For safety reasons (and having been raped in the military) Women Veterans will not go live in homeless shelters in accordance to VA to receive HUD Vochers. This concern needs to be addressed (these women are being violated again by the system). Women generally sleep over at family ot friends (and at times their lives can be at peril by men living in the home of their friends). I am a lone voice here in Missouri, can’t attend the convention. Please someone address this concern at the highest levels: doing so may save lives from suicide.

  25. Glendara Kay Wells January 14, 2017 at 09:17

    I am hopeful that events such as this will bring the need for better care for women vets but am not optimistic. I have been in the system since 2004 and have “fallen through the cracks”, been misdiagnosed, and had to wait for treatment way past the time I was due for it so many times. I have had 4 vulvectomies and 3 pre-cancer surgeries and each time I have had to BEG for treatment —- this is in a 4 yr. span 2012-to present. I’m sure this happens to male vets also but what can we do to make it better? Vets are dying under VA care and I have luckily survived but we need someone to care about us individually and personally. I am grateful for all the VA has paid on my behalf which I could not have done myself but I’m afraid to go to the ER and hospital now due to the rudeness and inattentiveness I have encountered too many times. I would like to present my documentation to someone in the system who can help to improve it.

  26. Tamara bales January 13, 2017 at 21:45

    I am just needing some answers on if your a child of a former vet who can i report some events. That took place to me at a under age leaving me unable to comcieve or have a normal life knowk g he never took responsibility or. Jail perhaps you might know what i could do to see that this doest happen again tha nkyou

  27. kathleen faille January 13, 2017 at 20:36

    4 years active duty army, 9 yrs with the post office and cant get a full time job . Whats wrong with this picture?

  28. Sharon V Lamb January 13, 2017 at 19:20

    Ms K Williams, why cant these summits be given on the east coast, west coast and central America for all female veterans to have the opportunity to attend? I served 20 years in the military and served over 10 years civil service and had to resign due to the harassment I was enduring because of my military disabilities. I have been jobless for over 2 months and the state of Virginia will not pay out unemployment so soon I will be homeless again. I would enjoy attending one of these summits but can not afford to get to Texas. Will you be coming out to the East Coast?

    • Gretchen January 19, 2017 at 12:07

      the last one was held in Washington DC, which is on the east coast.

  29. Amanda High January 13, 2017 at 17:51

    Good afternoon Kayla!

    I am thrilled to hear of an event such as this and hope to be apart of it but cant seem to find where to register, can you please help me…and thank you in advance.

  30. Michele Barker January 13, 2017 at 15:04

    Why are 100% VA Disabled Women Veterans; NOT receiving Free, Personal Reservations, Airfare to this event?
    I have noticed that I am forced to stumble upon any VA Info, by myself. Its been all OJT-The whole VA System.

  31. Patty Plimmer January 13, 2017 at 15:04

    If you’re service connected is travel to and from this reimbursable?

  32. Adriane Reesey, PhD January 13, 2017 at 14:51

    Good day Ms Williams. Can you advise as to if there will be any sessions regarding the vulnerability of female veterans who may feel marginalized to the exploitation of human trafficking? As a disabled female veteran I believe that female vets are at high risk to this exploitative crime.

    I am the immediate past President of our Broward Veterans Coalition, and now actively serve with the Selective Service as the Regional representative.

  33. Antoinette Balta January 13, 2017 at 14:49

    Hello Ms. Williams,

    This summit looks amazing and I would like to attend. We operate a nonprofit full fledged pro bono civil law firm that is miltiary specific- we only assist low income veterans and active service members. I was wondering if there would be a component at the summit that discusses how legal advocacy removes barriers to housing, healthcare, employment and education.

    Thank you!

    AB

  34. Tynetta Runnels January 13, 2017 at 14:36

    Hi Kayla.

    I am interested in registering for the 2017 Summit.
    Can you please provide the registration link, via email when it becomes available.

    Thanks In Advance.
    Tynetta ‘Ty’

  35. Fallon Mitchell January 13, 2017 at 14:10

    Good afternoon Kayla,

    Can you please post a direct link or instructions on how to register? I clicked on the actual event directed to and it did not provide an opportunity to register.

  36. Sarah L. Blum January 13, 2017 at 13:53

    As you know there are many women veterans. who have been sexually assaulted by fellow soldiers while serving and many are still suffering from unresolved trauma. I am a nurse Vietnam Veteran, Nurse Psychotherapist, and the author of Women Under Fire: Abuse in the Military and am offering to be at the summit to speak and/or be on a panel on the subject of MST or PTSD and Healing. Information about me, the book and resources available on http://womenunderfire.net. Information about me under Media button.

    • Catherine Thomas January 15, 2017 at 17:04

      Sarah yes there are many, i have 2 clients that would need your help. I train SD for veterans in Tyler TX. I will be attending this conference hoping to meet you in person

  37. Geneva Turner January 13, 2017 at 13:50

    What is the cost? Is there a list of hotels?

    • Kareema Griest January 14, 2017 at 15:39

      I would like to know this same info, please. I don’t know if I can attend this year, but would like to prepare (as much as possible) for 2018’s summit.

  38. Julie Hill January 13, 2017 at 12:19

    Will you be accepting vendors and sponsorship for this Awesome Event.

  39. Darlene Zeigler January 13, 2017 at 12:06

    Female veterans are expose to more disrespect, sexual abuse on and off the job. What we endure is just like combat duty.

  40. Patricia Ann Burkett January 13, 2017 at 11:08

    I, personally have been abused repeatedly by the insinuation of national patriotic proud brave military ethical behavior the vast majority of my life! Are you out of your minds? Why are millions of dollars spent on ad copy? Why are so many Veterans living on the streets of America? Why are you failing the vast majority of veterans historically unto this very day? Why is any veteran losing their own home to illegal immoral insulting FRAUDCLOSURES galore? Why does any veteran suffer because of the Veterans Administration? Why do you toot your plastic horns of abject abysmal mountainous failures on the part of the duties of the Inspector General against veterans? How dare you flaunt this? Gross!

  41. Valerie Elizabeth Simon January 13, 2017 at 10:50

    Thank you for the great outreach over the past couple years…Regarding the Summit for Women Veterans, will there be a session on miscarriages and the amount of hysterectomies suffered by female veterans?

    I suffered a miscarriage on active duty while at Camp Lejeune during the poisoned water period, and I understand that I will not get compensated for the loss of my baby, while others who suffered cancers will – I am very happy for them and perplexed/profoundedly upset for me and other women who lost their babies during that period too.

    Many years later, also while on active duty, I had to have a full hysterectomy because of pre-cancerous fibroids and ovarian cysts. I did get compensated for that and I am grateful – the reason I am bringing it up up is that most if the female veterans I have spoken with have also had hysterectomies, and I have not seen any studies into that disturbing trend.

    I look forward to a response and thank you again for your work on behalf of all veterans.

    Semper Fi, LtCol Valerie Simon, USMC retired

    • Kayla Williams January 13, 2017 at 11:48

      We are planning a session on reproductive health and one on health research. Thank you for your service.

    • Casandra Johnson January 13, 2017 at 12:27

      I certainly am interested in hearing dialogue on this topic!

    • Michele Barker January 13, 2017 at 14:58

      I am so sorry to hear this-I am dealing with the VA medical care system, and I have a deep background in Medical Knowledge. With Estradiol only therapy, all my Fibroids and Ovarian Cysts disappeared. I know many men jump to the easy fix, in the Military~I would of said to the Doctor-How about we just remove Testicals. For future Women-Never let the Military do possible unnecessary treatments-Surgeries-Procedures-Follow Self Preservation instincts.

  42. Junk Bin January 13, 2017 at 10:39

    ime to treat all veterans equally, male , female, gay, purple. There is continued discrimination by having special programs for every niche except white males

    • Michelle Cook January 13, 2017 at 11:33

      Aww, feeling left out? Do go find yourself somewhere else to troll.

    • Joana Scholtz January 14, 2017 at 11:36

      Seriously??? The VA was developed to support white male veterans. The rest of us deserve the same. I agree: troll elsewhere.

  43. Sean Walker January 13, 2017 at 10:28

    Good morning Kayla,

    I am the Associate Director, Veterans Build at Habitat for Humanity International. Can you provide more information about the Women Veteran Summit, we would love to attend and represent HFHI. Thank you.

    • Kayla Williams January 13, 2017 at 11:46

      We will share more information as it is available – thanks for your interest!

      • Etta Thompson January 13, 2017 at 20:49

        Sean Walker, I live in Henderson Kentucky and I was trying to find a organization like yours around here for assistance on housing repairs. I’m %100 Disabled. Can you email me some information. Thank you

    • Robin Harder January 19, 2017 at 11:43

      Hello Kayla and all of you fellow women Veterans out there. I am the Founder and President of Women Veterans of San Antonio. We are a 501(c)(19) whose mission is to serve, honor, and empower women Veterans from all eras and branches of service. We network, socialize, volunteer, and give back to the Veteran community while bringing public awareness to the specific issues of women Veterans. I am very interested in attending this summit and am so excited that it will be held in Texas. I am looking forward to seeing all updates as they come; especially for registration.
      Thank you,
      Robin Harder

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