Experiences of women veterans are uniquely complex

At less than 2% of U.S. population, women veterans represent fundamental part of society

By Melissa Rosequist
Mail | Twitter: @mrosequist_

Until the mid 1990s, female sailors couldn’t serve upon U.S. Navy ships that would see combat. Despite this and other challenges in the armed forces, women make up a valuable population of America’s veteran population, with 1.9 million in the in the U.S. and more than 47,000 in Arizona.

While veterans sometimes face hardship finding employment after leaving the service or may struggle transitioning back to civilian life, data shows women veterans face tougher struggles.

However, women veterans make up a small percent of all women in America. Only 1.5% — or 1 in 68 women — compared with about 14% of all men.

“Just because we are women, it doesn’t mean we are limited in what we can do. We can do anything we set our minds to,” said Heather Barnard, a U.S. Army veteran.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women veterans are hidden in plain sight.

Retired Lt. Col. Kathy Gallowitz, who runs Vanguard Veteran, is passionate about helping businesses better understand the strengths of veterans and mesh the military world and civilian world for the workforce.

“No one really does this work, cultivating civilian veteran champions,” Gallowitz said. “I think it’s a big gap in what we do for our service members. We have a lot of good stuff going on at the VA, and the (Department of Defense) is working hard to promote transition. Our military have really unique and specialized expertise. If they are more educated, encouraged and engaged, it will make a big difference for military-connected people — the service member, veteran and their family.”

Gallowitz says a majority of women veterans believe the general public doesn’t understand the contributions of women in the military, and that post-military transition is harder on women than men.

Data shows unemployment rates in January for veterans decreased overall, but the unemployment rate for women veterans increased from 1.7% to 3.9%.

Meanwhile female nonveterans unemployment rate is slightly lower at 3.4%.

Not all veterans face a hard time in their post service era.

“Even though I’d been out of the military for quite a while, having that veteran status, honorable discharge, and being able to share some of my experiences on my application or resume, I always found that a strength,” said Denise Pulk, a U.S. Navy veteran. “I don’t, for me personally, that has never been a struggle finding a job. That’s just my story though.”

Some struggles could be dependent on age of the veteran.

The unemployment data shows veterans age 18-24 decreased from 13.6% to 11.5% in January, which is much higher than the rate for veterans aged 25-34. In the 25-34 age group, unemployment rose to 4.5% in January. Both age groups have a higher unemployment rate than their nonveteran counterparts.
Unemployment rate for older veterans, over the age of 65, decreased in January from 4.1% to 1.9%.

Heather Barnard joined the U.S. Army to challenge herself and be a part of "something bigger." When she transitioned in 2017, she says a loss of community came with he return to civilian life. (Submitted photo) 

Being a part of something bigger

Barnard is among those who falls into the post-9/11 veterans category of people under age 34. She joined the Army because she sought a change in her life.

“I chose something that would challenge myself,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of something bigger.”

During her service, Barnard worked as a geospatial engineer, where she would collect, analyze and distribute geospatial information to represent the terrain and its possible effects on military and civilian endeavors.

When she left the Army in 2017, transition was challenging.

“No one tells you how lonely you feel,” Barnard said. “For so long you are a part of this family and this set routine that it becomes a part of who you are. I feel like I lost a part of myself.”

Following her transition, Barnard says it was difficult to get a similar job to her military work.

“I was able to hold a job at Starbucks after I got out but nothing related to the work I did in the military,” she said.

However, she took advantage of the GI Bill and has since completed a dual bachelor’s degree in urban planning and GIS, a masters degree in GIS and a certificate in intro to data analytics and advanced data analytics.

“The skills I learned in the military helped me be successful in what I am doing today. I am a data management analysis at APS,” she said. “If I learned anything, it is to never give up and keep pushing even when times are difficult.”

Denise Pulk, a U.S. Navy veteran, finished college after her time in the armed forces. She now works for Cox Business as a senior business services specialist. (Submitted photo) 

Paying it forward

Pulk is a U.S. Navy veteran serving between 1992 and 1996, exclusively on ships. The submarine tenders Pulk served on were not combat ships, and she points out it wasn’t until 1994 women in the Navy could even serve on a combative vessels.

“At the time I was in, there were really limited options — if you wanted to serve on board a ship, there were not many places you could go,” Pulk said.

She worked as a dispersing clerk, which she likens to an accountant.

Pulk enrolled in the Navy at age 22 after attending some college before dropping out and getting a job.

“I was just kind of trying to find my way,” Pulk explained. “My family has a long history of service in the military. I had kind of thought about it after high school, but really didn’t entertain it all that seriously. I just kind of got to a point where I needed money for school, I wanted to travel a bit and meet new people. It was time for me to leave Minnesota.”

Overall, Pulk said her transition from military life to civilian life wasn’t too difficult. When she transitioned in 1996, she was married and went to finish college. In the late 1990s, Pulk and her family moved to Scottsdale.

“I didn’t have a problem finding a job; I worked for American Express for a while and then I ended up working for a pharmaceutical company and was with them for a number of years,” she said.

Being a veteran has been a strength for Pulk, and she’s used her position for good. In Scottsdale, she served on the city’s Veterans Commission for nearly three years, being the only female chair to lead that.

“I wish more women veterans were in a position to be advocates or speak up more,” Pulk said. “We all wear a lot of different hats and sometimes we don’t always know what the opportunities are to be advocates and to volunteer. I always look for women veterans that are helping and serving in a different way because I think that’s a real example to other women that may need that help or resource.”

Retired U. S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kathy Gallowitz aims to bridge the gap between companies and veterans seeking employment. (Submitted photo) 

Relating to a combat veteran

Gallowitz’s goal with Vanguard Veteran is to equip civilians to become veteran champions. According to her, there are three primary reasons military transition is challenging:

•  Transition and career planning training is inadequate;
•  Military culture is different from civilian culture;
•  Service members experience a loss when they leave the military, including the loss of identify and community, friends and purpose and finances and clarity.

She advises employers and the public on topics such as what to say to a veteran who is struggling.

Gallowitz worked as a nurse in the U.S. Air Force, and while she wasn’t in combat, she says she meets many women who did see combat. Some of their experiences give insight into the struggles women face after discharging.

Recounting a conversation with a fellow veteran, Gallowitz says the woman felt uncomfortable telling female peers she had seen combat at a networking meeting.

“Because our society, the prevailing notion is that men are warriors and women are not, so to speak — that’s kind of the cultural norm. So female combat veterans are uncertain about the response they will receive from others when they tell them about that,” Gallowitz said. “A generalization is that most women can’t identify or relate to military experience generally, but combat experience specifically.”

And seeing as only less than 2% of all U.S. women have been in the armed services — and fewer than that have been in combat — Gallowitz makes a good point.

“There’s just so few of us, women veterans have to be aware, persistent and good communicators. You just feel kind of like a foreigner,” Gallowitz said.

Managing Editor Melissa Rosequist can be reached at mrosequist@iniusa.org. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.