Nonprofit looks to team up with private sector to help growing number of female veterans
They are daughters, often mothers and sometimes even grandmothers.
And as part of a 21st century U.S. military, many of these women are also veterans of combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Traditionally, women have had support roles, far away from the battlefield. Today, these military women are in harm's way," said Pam Brokaw, executive director of Partners In Careers, a provider of job training, placement and support services for a growing number of veterans in need.
The women on the receiving end of Partners In Careers' programs face problems perhaps unthinkable a generation ago, such as mental health issues like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
"Especially given the fact that we're fighting two wars, the need is pretty great," Brokaw said.
With a roundtable discussion attended by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) last week and a recently-awarded $173,000 grant from the U.S. Dept. of Labor, Partners In Careers looks to beef up its array of services for all former service members – particularly women, who Brokaw called a group that is sometimes "overlooked."
Joining Murray and Brokaw at the discussion in Vancouver Aug. 26 was Jenney Pauer, a participant of the Veteran Women Program, a group launched last year which meets every Tuesday at 1:30 at the Partners In Careers center on W. 39th Street.
Essential to the success of the Veteran Women Program, according to Brokaw, was increased participation by members of the region's business community as donors, volunteers and most importantly, potential employers.
Last year, local businesses signed a covenant to support, rehire and employ servicemen and women of the 104th Training Division of the U.S. National Guard at what was then still the Fort Vancouver barracks, now based at Fort Lewis near Tacoma. Despite that pledge, high unemployment in the region makes job hunting tough even for those veterans not battling mental health issues or homelessness.
As U.S. forces formally ended combat operations in Iraq on Aug. 31 (approximately 50,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to remain until 2011), the thousands of military men and women pouring into bases like Fort Lewis have made veteran issues a hot-button topic in the forthcoming mid-term election – especially in the U.S. Senate contest between Murray and Republican candidate Dino Rossi.
Last week, Murray announced the creation of a veterans-to-veterans program while touting her record on military issues such as a stance favoring the continued operations of a Veterans Administration clinic in Vancouver.
Meanwhile, Rossi attacked Murray's support of what he called "excessive" federal spending measures which he said was "jeopardizing Congress' ability to provide our veterans the benefits they've earned."
"In addition, when servicemen and women leave active duty, they need to know they can find a job," Rossi said in a statement released last week.
In Vancouver, Brokaw's organization focuses on coalition building, hiring a new business relations representative, Jon Burch, who starts work this week. According to Brokaw, Burch's specialty is in mental health support services and in working with homeless veterans and veterans with multiple barriers to employment.
Formerly employed by the Veterans Health Administration in Spokane, Burch assisted ex-service members with job placement and worked to develop employment opportunities with local businesses.
"We realized we need a stronger focus on businesses in the region," Brokaw said. "I am excited about the connections we can make."
