Disabled American Veterans Hails Historic Legislation Addressing Health Care Needs...

Disabled American Veterans Hails Historic Legislation Addressing Health Care
Needs of Women Veterans

Veteran's Group Launches Stand Up for Veterans National Grassroots Initiative
to Improve Health Care

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Disabled American Veterans
(DAV) applauds Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in addressing the unique needs of
our women veterans by introducing the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement
Act next week. Reps. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) and Ginny Brown-Waite
(R-Fla.), introduced similar legislation in the House late last year. These
groundbreaking bills were developed in consultation with the DAV, which today
is launching a nationwide legislative initiative to fully meet the health care
needs of all America's veterans.

"It's crucial we start looking seriously at the health care needs of all women
veterans," said Joe Violante, DAV's national legislative director. "Once they
walk off that battlefield, whether in Iraq, Afghanistan or a previous
conflict, many women veterans are facing yet another battle here at home when
it comes to accessing health care services that are suited to their needs."

Both the House and Senate bills seek to improve the Department of Veterans
Affairs' (VA) ability to assess and treat women who have experienced military
sexual trauma, increase the use of evidence-based treatment practices, and
call for a long-term study on the gender-specific health challenges facing
women veterans, particularly those exposed to combat conditions.

"It's troubling that we don't even know what we don't know when it comes to
potential health implications for women serving in a combat zone," said Joy
Ilem, DAV's assistant national legislative director. "We definitely need more
research on the unique health care needs of women veterans. Thankfully, there
is now legislation that would address this problem with a call for an in-depth
study of the issue."

Stand Up for Veterans Initiative
In addition to encouraging support for women veterans' legislation, DAV
launched a new nationwide initiative today in Washington, D.C. to educate the
public and members of Congress on the health care needs of all veterans.

The initiative, Stand Up for Veterans (www.standup4vets.org), addresses four
main areas in veterans' health care:

-- Traumatic brain injury
-- Mental health challenges (which includes women's health, PTSD, and
substance abuse)
-- Family caregivers
-- Funding reform

The campaign will engage lawmakers throughout the year on the challenges
facing veterans and their families, and offer legislative solutions to meet
the health care needs of our veteran population.

As part of this effort, hundreds of veterans are in Washington, DC to meet
with members of Congress and gather signatures for a national petition urging
the federal government to provide needed health care assistance to disabled
veterans.

"Our mid-winter conference (March 2-5) comes at a critical time when veterans'
health care issues are front and center in both parties this election season,"
said Violante. "We hope our in-person visits with members of Congress will
reinforce the need to take action this year on legislation to meet the health
care needs of veterans injured in the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as
well as those from prior eras and conflicts."

Thousands of our military service personnel and veterans are returning from
Iraq and Afghanistan with serious wounds and permanent disabilities. Millions
more veterans from prior wars also have been disabled in military service. The
Department of Defense and VA must meet their needs and have sufficient
programs, services and benefits to help them recover and rehabilitate
themselves and their lives.

About Disabled American Veterans

Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and
chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation's disabled
veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our
nation's disabled veterans and their families.

SOURCE Disabled American Veterans

Michael Waxman, office: +1-202-872-4860, cell: +1-310-963-4847,
mwaxman@hydeparkcomm.com, for Disabled American Veterans