Description/Abstract
Over the past two decades, increasing numbers of women have served in the military, with women now comprising 17.3% of active-duty personnel and 21.4% of National Guard and reserves. During military service, women often incur painful musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries related to carrying heavy loads and wearing ill-fitting gear. While women may receive initial care for these injuries under the auspices of the Department of Defense (DoD), these injuries often linger and further treatment in required as women transition to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care. However, little is known about this transition process, and whether women are given adequate information and support regarding how to access VA care after their military service has ended. Research Design: To better understand these issues, we interviewed 65 women veterans with military servicerelated MSK injuries about their transition from DoD to VA care. Results: Six major themes emerged from the interviews. Those themes were: (1) Military injuries are often related to ill-fitting gear or carrying heavy loads; (2) Stigma/discrimination related to military injuries; (3) Limited assistance with transition between DoD and VA to manage ongoing injuries and pain; (4) Women have a difficult time managing perceptions and expectations of their weight after military service; (5) Childcare is a substantial burden for veterans in self-care; and (6) veterans desire peer-support services to help them stay healthy. Conclusions: Based on these findings, DoD and VA should continue to work together to develop programs to educate and support women as they transition from military to VA care. Furthermore, VA should consider developing peer support programs for women Veterans who may require additional support to maintain health, especially among Veteran mothers who have complex family responsibilities that may limit their ability to focus on their own health.
Original Citation
Mattocks, Kristin M., et al. “Understanding women’s transitions from military to Department of Veterans Affairs Care.” Journal of Women’s Health, vol. 33, no. 9, Sept. 2024, pp. 1185–1197, https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2024.0022.
Document Type
Brief
Disciplines
Military and Veterans Studies
Extent
2 pages
DCMI Type
Text
Keywords
Research review, Veteran affairs, Women in the military
Publisher
Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University
Date
3-25-2026
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, "Research Review: "Understanding Women’s Transitions from Military to Department of Veterans Affairs Care"" (2026). Institute for Veterans and Military Families. 513.
https://surface.syr.edu/ivmf/513
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
