Veterans agencies are retooling to help a growing number of women transition from the military to civilian life.
As the armed forces wind down from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the ranks of former military personnel are declining overall, but the Department of Veterans Affairs projects the number of women veterans will rise by 2040 from 2 million to 2.4 million.
While a small proportion of the nation’s 22 million veterans, women are expected to grow from about 9 percent to over 15 percent by 2040. The VA estimates the number of former service members will fall to about 15 million in the next 25 years.
“Women are the fastest growing group within the veteran population,” said Jeff Barnes, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.
The agency runs three-week “reverse boot camp” seminars to help returning service members transition back into civilian life, and officials are considering a women’s-only “REBOOT workshop,” Barnes said.