Congressman Greg Landsman’s Liaison Melissa Hoin, on left, and U.S. Navy veteran Michele Pennington, on right, pause following the conclusion of the Fourth Women Veterans Dinner/Discussion held at the Golden Corral Restaurant. The dinner was co-sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio and DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). The discussion on pertinent female veterans’ issues was conducted by DAV National Headquarters Staff Elizabeth DePompei and Elizabeth Stetler. Photograph provided by DAVA Unit #63 Commander Shirley Plahovinsak.
Thirty (30) participants gathered on December 5, 2024, at the Eastgate Golden Corral Restaurant for the Fourth Women Veterans’ Dinner and an informative discussion of women veterans’ concerns and issues. The event was jointly co-sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio and DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County).
The DAV National Headquarters’ speakers for the event were Elizabeth DePompei, the Communications Associate for the Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness DAV Report, and Army veteran Elizabeth Stetler, who served from 2004 to 2008.
Speakers DePompei and Stetler were assisted by Marine Corps Veteran and DAV Chapter #63 member Susan Ward during the discussion phase of the event. USMC Veteran Ward also serves on the DAV Department of Ohio’s Women Veterans’ Committee.
The entire event was conducted in a private room at the Golden Corral Restaurant and no males were allowed to attend. “Women veterans may be uncomfortable or intimidated by male veterans when discussing certain female issues,” said Army veteran Cheryl Childers. “This is the reason why male veterans are excluded from the event.”
The concise presentation/discussion by DePompei and Stetler focused on the seven (7) concerns that women veterans raised during the Third Women Veterans Dinner, held on October 3, 2024. Each concern was researched by Naomi Mathis at the DAV National Headquarters.
“These issues were brought up during the discussion period in October and we have an obligation to research them and have the DAV National Headquarters’ speakers discuss possible corrective recommendations,” said USMC Veteran Susan Ward, who served as moderator for the event.
This was the fourth luncheon/dinner event co-sponsored by the DAV. The first event was held in Mt. Orab and organized by DAV Chapter #63 Life Member Cheryl Childers in 2023.
The second event was held in 2024 in Georgetown, and had women veterans from Adams, Brown and Highland Counties participating.
“It is critical that we, as the military and veteran community, and those charged with keeping our nation’s sacred promise to those who served get this right – for past, present and future generations of women veterans,” said DAV National Legislative Director Joy Ilem.
“More women than ever are serving in the armed forces in all occupations, and the population of women veterans will continue to grow,” said Army Veteran Ilem. “We should welcome their contributions and do everything in our power to make sure they are made whole in light of the sacrifices they made for their country.”
“Many of the systems built for veterans – namely the Department of Veterans Affairs – were quite literally designed for men,” stated veteran Stetler. “As a result, women have historically been underserved, underrepresented, and underappreciated.”
Both the VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) were not fully prepared to provide equitable access to the gender-specific health care and services that women require. For example, one-third of VA Medical Centers, in 2014, did not employ a staff gynecologist.
“Women who had lost one or more limbs were less likely to have a prosthetic that fit properly,” explained Stetler, “and they face unique issues when pregnant, including, increased wear on the prosthetic and need for recurrent modifications.”
Eight (8) of the female veterans were from the Trauma Recovery Center at Ft. Thomas VAMC. The Center’s Peer Support Clinician, Rick Johnson, explained that this event blends in nicely to the seven (7) week course he instructs at the Ft. Thomas Domiciliary.
“The dinner, held during the course’s last week, blends in nicely and is a great way for the classes to end,” explained Clinician Johnson. “It demonstrates to them that their military service is truly appreciated and they are not alone in their journeys through life.”
Five (5) of the female veterans attending were from the Southern Ohio Veterans Home in Georgetown. This contingent included one female Coast Guard veteran, who was 100 years old.
Congressman Greg Landsman’s Constituent Services Liaison Melissa Hoin spoke to the veterans concerning the Representative’s sponsorship/co-sponsorship of female veterans-related legislation.
According to Hoin, the Congressman will be establishing a Women Veterans Advisory Group for his First Congressional District in 2025 to advise him on women veterans’ issues.
Army veteran Stetler distributed copies of the DAV Report, Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness, which focused on suicide prevention and mental health for women veterans.
DAV Speaker DePompei, who worked on the DAV Report, cited several informative findings, such as the suicide rate for women veterans, from 2020 and 2021, jumped by 24.1%. “This must be addressed!”
Other findings in the Report included sixteen (16%) percent of women veterans have a substance abuse problem and one (1) in three (3) women have experienced military sexual trauma (MST).
“I want to personally thank our DAV National Speakers Elizabeth Stetler, and Elizabeth DePompei, along with Marine Corps Veteran Susan Ward, who was the moderator, Congressman Landsman’s representative Hoin, and Golden Corral Manager Brandon York for making this event a reality,” said DAV Interim Chapter Commander Jim Stanzak.
“But most of all, I would like to thank all the women veterans that attended,” explained Stanzak. “This was their evening and our Chapter’s humble way to should them our appreciation for their military service.”
“We are already working with VAMC’s Clinician Johnson for another dinner and presentation for female veterans in April of 2025,” concluded Stanzak, “because we had such a great turnout for this event!”
Page FOUR of FOUR Pages