Stamford State Senator Leads Adoption of Women Veterans Program Bill

Stamford state Sen. Carlo Leone and Senate Democrats led passage on Wednesday of a Senate bill that establishes the Connecticut Women Veterans’ Program.

“During my time in the Air Force I served alongside men and women of extraordinary character,” said Leone, a U.S. Air Force veteran. “While they served with equal valor, women returning from service sometimes received unequal treatment, encountering a system tailored to meet the needs of men. This legislation provides a much needed review of these services and should be the first step in our efforts to reform them.”

The bill requires the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs to establish, within available resources, a program that will reach out to women veterans to improve their awareness of federal and state veterans’ benefits and services eligibility. It also calls for an assessment of women veterans’ needs for benefits and services and a review of programs, research projects and other initiatives designed to address or meet Connecticut women veterans’ needs.

The results of the assessments and reviews will be incorporated into the strategic planning for benefits and services offered to women veterans.

“There is a gender gap when it comes to support services for our returning veterans,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “A support system designed to serve a predominantly male population cannot meet the needs of a 21st century military where 20 percent of new recruits are women,” Duff said in a statement. “This overdue legislation will help us identify the most urgent needs of our returning women veterans, as well as the support services most needing of reform.”

State Sen. Mae Flexer (D-Killingly), who is Senate Chair of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, said the number of women veterans in Connecticut and America is increasing and is now the fastest-growing segment of the veteran community.

“More and more women are veterans, and we have to ensure that the programs we have in place actually meet the needs of women veterans, understanding their needs are different from men,” Sen. Flexer said. “We cannot assume that a program that works for male veterans will work exactly the same for female veterans.”

Jackie Evonsion, the Connecticut Historian and Women Veterans’ Outreach Coordinator for the American Legion, said, “Now, working with female veterans, I have realized that we really need to reach out to inform them of the benefits that they are eligible for and that the facilities that we do have are safe and female-friendly. I am happy that this legislation helps to create a dialogue about female veterans’ needs and shows that they are important to Connecticut policymakers.”

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Contributed photo: state Sen. Carlo Leone of Stamford speaks at a Capitol press conference announcing Senate Democrats’ legislation to review and improve support services for women veterans returning from service.