MANATEE COUNTY (WSNN) – There are several thousand women veterans on the Suncoast but only a couple hundred receive veteran services. Manatee County is celebrating Women Veterans week
The VA numbers in Manatee County show there are 4,000 women veterans, but fewer than 10-percent actually utilize the Suncoast services.
“I’ve been here for about 12 years now and I’ve only had a count of about 300 female veterans,” said Lee Washington, Manatee County Veterans Service Officer.
During Women Veterans week, Manatee County Neighborhood Services want to spread awareness on social media. Kelly Foster highlighted veterans with special photos.
“Photos stayed black and white and then only the veteran turned out in color,” said Kelly Foster, the marketer with Manatee County Neighborhood Services. “We just wanted to have a way of being able to show the concept of ‘show yourself;’ just to stand up and let people know who you are and where you.”
Women veterans are all around us: mothers, teachers, police officers. And Washington says they should have the same opportunities as men.
“Earlier generations always thought that females didn’t belong in the military, but they always served in one component or another. And for a long time, they were in supporting roles, but that hasn’t been the case for some time now. They’ve been serving in combat. Now, they’re even pillars of our community.
Frankie Bailey served in the army from 1991 to 2011, and she didn’t get the full service benefits until now.
“I guess there’s a little bit of confusion on who can get them and who can’t,” said Bailey. “Or if I didn’t have the full 100-percent disability, then maybe I didn’t qualify.”
She displays her veteran pride in her office space to find…
“When people come in and see it in my office, they’re very surprised that I was in the military,” Bailey said. “They had no idea that I served.”
“They wear the same uniforms, they fight the same battles and they’re facing some of the same challenges now that they’re back home. We need to encourage them to make that initial phone call to have a conversation with a Veteran Service Officer so that they can seek all the benefits and services that they’ve earned.
The Manatee County Veterans Service Division offers VA disability claims, healthcare system, home loans, education benefits, and even mental health support.
You can call them in Manatee County at 941-745-3795 or in Sarasota County at 941-861-2899.
