Page 5 - AL POST 390 FORMS WOMEN VETERANS WomenVeterans-brochure
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VA operates a Vocational Rehabilitation (Voc Depending on the dates of service, a veteran
Rehab) program for disabled veterans who want may be eligible to participate in the Montgomery
to return to the workplace. Federal civil service GI Bill, Vietnam Era GI Bill, or the Veterans’
jobs will give “veterans’ preference points” to quali- Educational Assistance Program.
fied veterans. Any honorably discharged veteran
(grades Major and below) who has campaign med- Contact an American Legion Department Service
als or awards can be given a five point preference Officer for more information on VA educational
for hiring. Veterans who are service-connected at benefits and eligibility. DSO’s can be found on the
30 percent or greater can be rated with a 10 point Internet at www.legion.org or by calling
hiring preference. In some states, veterans’ prefer- 1-800-433-3318.
ence points are granted for state jobs, but it varies Women Veterans’ Health Issues
between the states. Women veterans should explore
these options when seeking employment. There are several important health issues which
women veterans should be aware of and take steps
The Department of Labor (DoL) offers job-search to have them checked periodically. These include,
assistance that is specialized for veterans and has but are not limited to, heart disease, cancers, sexu-
also established a Women’s Bureau that can assist ally transmitted diseases, environmental health
women seeking employment. In addition, there are hazards, and substance abuse.
Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists
(DVOPS) and Local Veterans Employment
Representatives (LVER’s) who can help veterans Heart Disease
find jobs. Each local office of DoL should have a Heart disease is the number one cause of death in
DVOP or LVER counselor. When applying for American women today, but is the least discussed. It
unemployment benefits, a female veteran should develops when the blood vessels or arteries that supply
identify herself as a veteran. blood to the heart and brain become clogged from a
buildup of cells, fat and cholesterol. This can lead to a
Education heart attack or stroke. One in two women, or 44.4 per-
cent, will die of heart disease and stroke, compared to
Just as there may be obstacles to finding a good 1 in 27 who will die of breast cancer. This rate increas-
job, there can be similar difficulties in obtaining es among African American women. Also, post-meno-
the education and training necessary for certain pausal women are more likely to have a heart attack
occupations. Often military training does not cor- than women who are not post-menopausal.
relate to the requirements of a job in the private
sector. So, even though a veteran may have per-
formed the same job function while in the service, Cancers
they are not qualified to perform that job in the Women should be aware of their family history
civilian market. They may need to be re-trained or for certain conditions that can increase their risk
credentialed to meet industry, state, or federal stan- for cancer. There are other factors that increase
dards that may be different from DoD standards. with age or lifestyle habits such as diet, drinking
and smoking. Women should discuss these risks
However, military training, in some cases can also with their health care provider, and seek additional
be used to waive credit requirements with some information for these diseases. The cancers that
universities or vocational schools. Proper docu- most often affect women are:
mentation from the military will be required. Most
schools have a veteran counselor who can offer • Breast
guidance on these issues. An appointment should • Lung
be made with one of these counselors before enroll- • Colorectal
ing in any courses. • Endometrial
• Ovarian
• Cervical
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