Women Veterans Benefits,
Services and Treatment are
Mission of Director of Center
for Women Veterans

By Patrick Pellerin
Legislative Director

“My main mission is to make sure women veterans receive the benefits and services on par with their male counterparts, encounter no discrimination and are treated with dignity and respect by VA service providers,” said Dr. Irene Trowell-Harris, Ed.D., R.N., the director of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Center for Women Veterans in an interview with VRNA. “Many of our women veterans do not know that they are eligible for these benefits so another big job is to get that information into their hands.”

Dr. Trowell-Harris, who is the primary advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs about programs and issues related to women veterans, was the director of the VA Office of Inspector General’s Washington, D.C., Healthcare Inspections Regional Office before being appointed director of the Center. She is a retired major general in the U.S. Air Force/National Guard and was the first African-American female in the history of the National Guard to be promoted to general officer.

“I came from a very large family living on a cotton farm in Aiken, South Carolina,” said Dr. Trowell-Harris, retracing her steps to her present position. “I wanted to do something different, and when I saw an airplane flying over, I told my family that one day I am going to be teaching and working on an airplane. That was not the usual ambition for a female in the 1960s.”

Dr. Trowell-Harris went on to receive her flight-nurse wings. “It was one of the proudest days of my life. With those wings and the education I had, I could serve my country in the way I wanted to serve it. My most rewarding experiences were to become a flight nurse examiner, a commander and to serve as a mentor to young officers, enlisted and civilian personnel.”

Now she is not only the center’s director, but also serves as executive director of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. This committee assesses the needs of women veterans with respect to VA programs, such as compensation, rehabilitation, outreach and health care. It reviews the administration of VA programs, activities, research projects and other initiatives designed to meet the needs of women veterans. And, it makes recommendations to improve, modify and make changes in programs and services administration for women veterans.

Dr. Trowell-Harris also is working hard to strengthen the external and internal coalitions and partnerships with other federal agencies – Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services and others – as well as with tribal groups, Women in Military Service of America (WIMSA), minority organizations and state agencies.

In addition, the center and the VA are conducting a number of outreach programs designed to educate women veterans about their rights and benefits. This includes meetings with women’s organizations, conducting educational programs, holding town hall meetings, working with the news media and urging women to go to the Web site, www.va.gov/womenvet.  

Dr. Trowell-Harris said she wants women veterans to know that most VA medical centers, regional offices and veterans readjustment counseling centers have an individual designated as a women veterans coordinator to assist women veterans in accessing VA benefit programs and health care services.

In addition, she said most VA medical centers have developed gender-specific services and programs, such as mammography screening, pap smears and primary care, to meet the needs of women veterans. The VA also provides special counseling programs for veterans suffering the after-effects of a sexual trauma in the military.

Eight comprehensive health care centers have been established to develop new –and enhance existing– programs that focus on unique and gender-specific health care needs of women veterans. These centers are structured under a primary care model that coordinates medical, surgical and psychological care for women patients. These centers are located at the VA Medical Centers in: Minneapolis; Chicago; Tampa; Durham; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Boston; and Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Dr. Trowell-Harris said that the VA Health Services Research & Development Service is also involved in a number of projects to assist women veterans, including research into aging, breast cancer, reproductive health and mental health.

In addition to healthcare needs, the center wants to assist women who transition from military service to veteran status by ensuring the Transition Assistance Programs meet the needs of separating service women.

Dr. Trowell-Harris is a graduate of Columbia Hospital School of Nursing, has a bachelor’s degree with honors in health education from Jersey City State College, a master’s degree in public health from Yale and a doctorate in education from Columbia University.

A recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Service and Legion of Merit awards, Dr. Trowell-Harris was the first African-American female to have a mentoring award named in her honor and to have a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Chapter named in her honor. She was inducted into the Columbia University Nursing Hall of Fame and the Yale University School of Medicine Honor Roll for her dedication to public service.

The new Director said her life goals beyond her new position are to write a book about her experiences that would be an inspiration to others, to continue to mentor young people and to have more time to travel.

Dr. Trowell-Harris closed by urging women veterans who are interested in their benefits to contact the Web site, www.va.gov/womenvet, to contact their local Veterans Center or call toll-free, 1-800-827-1000.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

What services are available to women veterans?

Response: A full continuum of comprehensive medical services, including health promotion and disease prevention, primary care, women’s gender-specific health care – e.g., hormone replacement therapy, breast and gynecological care, maternity and limited infertility (excluding In-vitro fertilization), acute medical/surgical, telephone triage, emergency and substance abuse treatment, mental health, domiciliary rehabilitation and long-term care. VA researchers at many VA facilities also conduct medical research about women’s health.

How do I locate a buddy that I served with in 1956?

Response: The Privacy Act obliges the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as a federal agency, to protect the privacy of veterans’ personal information. Therefore, VA cannot release personal information about a veteran in its records system without that person’s permission. VA can, however, forward a message from you to the veteran, providing VA has a current address on record.

Write your message to your friend and place it in an unsealed, stamped envelope. Include a note to VA explaining who it is that you are trying to reach and add as much identifying information as you have. Put all of this in another envelope and address it to the nearest VA Regional Office.

If the veteran is in VA records, your message to the veteran will be sealed and the envelope will be sent to the address on file for the veteran. It is then up to the veteran to contact you. This process is designed to protect the privacy of veterans, as required by law. If you have questions, you may call VA at 1-800-827-1000.

You may also contact the Women In Military Service for America Memorial (WIMSA) located at the ceremonial entrance of Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., at www.womensmemorial.org.

How do I locate my mother’s military records from World War II?

Response: To obtain copies of your mother’s record – write to the National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100, fax a request to (314) 538-4175 or access their e-mail: center@stlouis.nara.gov

I have been out of the military for more than 10 years. How do I get an extension to my GI bill educational benefits?

Response: Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) benefits end 10 years from the date of your last discharge or release from active duty. If your benefits expire mid-term, your benefits are extended to the end of the term or semester. (Example: Your benefits expire in November, but the course ends in December. You will be paid for December.)

The delimiting date can be extended past your 10-year period if you were prevented from attending classes due to:

• a severe disability, or
• you were held against your will by a foreign government or power.

The delimiting date is only extended by the amount of time you were prevented from attending classes.

VA can also extend your 10-year period if you re-enter active duty for 90 days or more after becoming eligible. The extension ends 10 years from the date of separation from the later period. Periods of active duty of less than 90 days can qualify you for extensions only if you were separated for:

• a service-connected disability
• a medical condition existing before active duty
• hardship, or
• a reduction in force.

If your benefit eligibility is based on two years of active duty and four years in the Selected Reserve, you have 10 years from your release from active duty, or 10 years from the completion of the four-year Selected Reserve obligation to use your benefits, whichever is later. For more information, you may visit: http://www.gibill.va.gov/education/c30pam.htm

How do I get my disability compensation claim re-evaluated?

Response: You may request a reevaluation of your claim anytime that you believe your condition has changed or worsened. Submit the request to reopen or reevaluate your claim to the VA Regional Office in either letter or statement form or on VA Form 21-4138 (Statement in Support of Claim). (www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/21-4138x.pdf) Request should include the following information:

• name;
• claim number or Social Security number;
• day and evening Contact information
• current address ;
• statement explaining change requested;
• any new and pertinent medical evidence that supports your request.

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