Posted: | August 15, 2016 11:15 AM |
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From: | Representative Maria P. Donatucci |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Resolution Honoring Women Veterans |
In the near future, I will be introducing a resolution honoring women veterans who have been serving our country since the Revolutionary War. According the Veterans Administration, as of September 2015, 2,035,213 of the 21,680,534 US veterans are women, or about 10% of the total veteran population. As of 2015, Pennsylvania is home to over 71,287 female veterans. More than 185,000 women have been deployed on post-2001 missions such as Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. At present, women account for approximately 15 percent of active duty and reserve personnel in the United States, and as the total veteran population is decreasing, the number of female veterans continues to increase. Women veterans started entering the military branches in larger numbers during the more recent periods of service (Vietnam, Gulf War I and Gulf War II). A larger percent of women veterans are ethnically and racially diverse compared to their male counterparts. A larger percentage of women veterans have higher education attainment and they are currently enrolled in higher education at a higher rate than male veterans. The capacity in which women serve in the military has also changed drastically over the past few decades. Women are no longer just fulfilling auxiliary roles, and it is not unlikely, or even uncommon, for women to be actively involved in combat missions. As their responsibilities continue to evolve and expand within the military, women veterans deserve to be acknowledged even more for their service to our country. Please join me in co-sponsoring this resolution that formally honors all of these brave women throughout our history. |
Introduced as HR979