This article and information was shared with G.I. Jobs directly from the VA. The VA is looking to invest in the future by hiring veterans. Read on to hear about the VA services for women veterans and learn about VA careers.
Expanding Services at the VA for Women Veterans
Women veterans are the fastest-growing group of veterans in the nation. Over 700,000 women have served in the military in the last two decades, joining a lineage that can be traced back to the Civil War.
However, reports show that nearly one in four women veterans go without needed health care and underuse the VA care available to them. You can read more on how the Center for Women Veterans champions women veterans to use their VA benefits
We’re working hard to change that–expanding services, improving our health care facilities, and hiring dedicated professionals to support the women who have served our country.
Historic Legislation
The Deborah Sampson Act, passed into law in January 2021, will help us address the needs of women veterans. It creates a dedicated Office of Women’s Health at VA, expands reintegration and readjustment group counseling retreats, and bolsters call center services for women veterans.
Maternity care at VA got a boost from another bill signed into law at the end of November 2021. It invests $15 million to help us:
- Improve coordination with community care facilities that provide maternity care
- Provide childbirth preparation and parenting classes
- Offer nutrition counseling and other efforts for new and expectant mothers
Addressing Women Veterans’ Needs
The women who have served, and continue to serve today, deserve to be cared for by a team that shares and understands their experiences.
To highlight that need, the Deborah Sampson Act also staffs every health facility with a dedicated women’s health primary care provider. It also offers the opportunity to train clinicians on the needs of women veterans and retrofit our facilities to enhance privacy and improve the environment of care.
Veterans are uniquely poised to help in our effort. Another bill passed into law at the end of November 2021 helps us work with the Department of Defense to identify and recruit service members leaving the military who might be qualified for federal health care jobs.
Investing in the future – VA Careers for Veterans
As we look to recruit a more diverse workforce, we aim to provide benefits that address the needs of a changing workforce and help you make the most of your career.
Competitive starting salaries. We offer our employees strong starting salaries based on education, training and experience. We also offer steady growth, with periodic pay raises that address inflation and local market changes.
Flexible schedules. Our employees receive 13 to 26 paid vacation/personal days, as well as 13 sick days annually with no limit on accumulation. We celebrate 11 paid federal holidays each year. We also offer up to 12 weeks of paid maternity/parental leave.
Robust insurance options. You can choose from a variety of health maintenance organizations or fee-for-service health plans. All cover preexisting conditions. We also pay up to 75% of health premiums, a benefit that can continue into retirement.
Education and leadership. We offer ongoing leadership development through every level of employment, whether it is mandatory programs or competitive opportunities. All leadership programs align the organization around a set of core competencies. These competencies support career development through continuous learning, coaching/mentoring and assessment.
Jobs for Veterans: VA Careers
Consider bringing your skills and experience to a team that stands ready to provide exceptional care to women veterans. Explore a career with VA by visiting vacareers.va.gov.
For more career opportunities, create a profile on the G.I. Jobs Career Portal and browse job opportunities.