WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 10, 2017) – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Executive Director Allison Jaslow represented IAVA’s national membership in the monthly Veteran Service Organization (VSO) roundtable breakfast at VA HQ in Washington with VA Secretary David Shulkin and senior VA officials. Secretary Shulkin briefed IAVA, the leading post-9/11 Veterans Empowerment Organization, and other leading groups on VA’s latest news and priorities.

Jaslow, a two tour Iraq War veteran and the lead spokesperson for IAVA’s historic She Who Borne the Battle campaign, reiterated IAVA’s priorities, including our focus on changing the VA motto, improving recognition and services for women veterans, as well as other top priorities outlined in our most recent Policy Agenda. At this monthly convening of top veterans leaders, Jaslow was only one of four women representatives attending, emphasizing the importance of her perspective on issues affecting veterans.

“IAVA was glad to have the opportunity to once again sit down again with Secretary Shulkin and senior VA officials to hear the latest from inside VA. We appreciate their continued openness and dedication to reform, especially in light of the new VA Accountability law signed by President Trump, which IAVA strongly supported and fought for for the past three years,” said Allison Jaslow.

“IAVA is continuing to advocate for increased recognition and improved services for women veterans, and we again urged VA and the White House to take more action today. I again asked Secretary Shulkin to publicly stand with IAVA, a bi-partisan coalition of 21 Senate sponsors, 36 House sponsors, and over 18 leading veterans groups to support the Deborah Sampson Act to recognize and support women veterans–and change the VA motto that alienates a growing percentage of our population. As VA partners with IAVA and others on the 2017 National Women Veterans Summit next month in Houston, now is a perfect moment for VA and President Trump to step forward and support this bill,” continued Jaslow.

She Who Borne The Battle: More than 345,000 American women have deployed since 9/11 and over 2.2 million women veterans live in the US total. Women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population and that trend will continue as the number of male veterans simultaneously declines over the next decades. However, many women veterans are left without recognition and the proper care to support their needs when they return from their service. According to IAVA’s Member Survey, only 27% of women veterans respondents feel the public treats women veterans with respect. She Who Borne the Battle will change this by providing a foundation of public awareness, local support and policy changes solely targeted at recognizing and supporting women veterans. This includes changing the exclusionary VA motto, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and for his orphan,” to a motto that represents “She Who Borne the Battle.” Learn more at www.SheWhoBorneTheBattle.org.