Arkansas native and former Air Force senior airman Ashley Trevino joined more than 100 advocates at the Women Warriors Summit in Washington, D.C., this September. The summit, organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, focused on legislation aimed at improving health care for the growing population of women veterans.

Local voice on a national stage

Trevino, who retired medically in 2022 after serving four years in the Air Force, said the experience helped her find purpose after feeling “very lost in my identity” following her separation. “I realized I found my group of people that challenged me, saw my potential and growth, and helped me heal and become the best possible version of myself,” she told the Arkansas Democrat‑Gazette.

Now a warrior‑advocate leader with the Wounded Warrior Project, Trevino is pushing for three key bills that were highlighted at the summit:

• The Veterans’ Outcomes, Inclusion, Care, and Experience for Women Veterans Act – would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to update its annual women‑veteran report and collect more detailed data to better address health‑care needs.
• The Mammography Access for Veterans Act – would expand the VA’s telescreening mammogram program to states lacking full‑service options, ensuring women veterans can receive timely breast‑cancer screening.
• The Take Care of America’s Veterans Act – a comprehensive proposal that includes stronger support for survivors of military sexual trauma, increased research on menopause and perimenopause, and more lactation spaces at VA medical centers.

Legislative backing from Arkansas

Senator John Boozman, R‑Ark., introduced the first bill with bipartisan co‑sponsor Senator Tammy Duckworth, D‑Ill., a veteran who lost both legs in Iraq. Boozman praised women veterans, saying they “deserve access to the quality care and resources they have earned.” He added that the legislation would “strengthen accountability and ensure women veterans receive the care and support they are owed.” The senator is also sponsoring the Senate versions of the mammography and Take Care bills. Representative French Hill, R‑Ark., has signed onto the House version of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, women veterans made up 11.4% of the veteran population in September 2023 and are projected to rise to 17.1% by September 2043. Trevino noted that many women veterans undervalue their service, especially if they were never deployed, and urged the VA to recognize their contributions.

Why the reforms matter

Improved data collection will allow the VA to identify gaps in care, while expanded mammography services address a critical preventive health need. Enhanced support for military‑sexual‑trauma survivors and research on menopause aim to fill long‑standing gaps in veteran health services.

For Arkansas veterans and their families, the proposed changes promise more accessible, gender‑specific health resources and a clearer acknowledgment of their sacrifices. As the summit concluded, advocates like Trevino returned home hopeful that Congress will act swiftly to pass the legislation.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.