Kaine Hosts Roundtable With Women Veterans

U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine stopped by Tempo restaurant on Tuesday morning for a roundtable with women veterans and military spouses.

The participants touched on everything from health care for troops and their families to the perception of veterans in society.

“Veterans have unique experience, skills and leadership training for what I call our ‘talent pool,’” the former Virginia governor said. “They can enrich our communities as civic activists, mayors and police officers.”

Kaine used the meeting primarily as a listening session, taking in the unique issues facing women in the military and female veterans.

Several spoke of the problems female troops face when it comes to health care on military bases or on naval ships.

One participant said abortions in cases of rape are not available at military health treatment facilities, even if a female soldier pays for it out of pocket. Another said female sailors have trouble getting access to female care providers when assigned to a vessel for six months.

Del. Charniele Herring (D-46th), who came from a military family, emphasized a need for better mental health assistance not just for troops but also their families.

“I can tell you about the anxiety with me as a child when my dad was sent to training,” Herring said. “And it wasn’t even being sent into combat.”

Kaine traced some of the participants’ questions to his experiences as governor working with the Virginia Department of Veterans Service. He said a lot of the work of that state office was to help direct veterans to the federal benefits and programs that were available to them.

Several women spoke of problems finding the benefits, support and services that were available to them.

A roundtable participant said the National Resource Directory offers a definitive list of resources for veterans and their families.