Veteran Status is Not a Matter of Opinion
1974, Air Force basic training, TI tells us not to expect VA healthcare. She does not use her TI voice. She uses her Not Happy Woman voice. 1992, Congress passes the public law that stops VA hospitals from turning us away. 1994, I find out. I also find out about WIMSA, Women In Military Service for America, and become a charter member.
That Memorial Day weekend, I head to the Orange County Fairgrounds for the Highland Gathering, as was my custom. At the drumhead service, the minister asks all veterans to rise to be honored, so I stand up, and some much older woman turns to me and rasps, "Siddown, honey, this is for the REAL veterans."
I did not sit down so much as fall back onto my seat in shock, but resolved that day that I would never let any other person tell me that I was anything less than a REAL veteran. And that prepared me for the next ten years, once I enrolled in the VA healthcare system that summer.
Yeah, it took a good ten years to get the less friendly to women patients portion of the VAMC staff to get used to us (or retire), and there remain a few holdouts, but most of the care I receive now I would rate pretty darn good to excellent. The pt that strenthened my ankles and the ptsd care that strenthened my willingness to be around a lot of people all at once has made me stronger, so last week I decided it was time to try the Highland Gathering, now called ScotsFest, again.
This time, women were well represented among the veterans, and we were honored, brothers and sisters alike, in a ceremony that brought happy tears to my eyes, and a whole lot of smiles and handshakes from my fellow veterans.
