Hoosier Women Veterans Rally For Support

Hoosier women veterans are asking the state to give them more of a voice and support.

Outside the Indiana Government Center, Lisa Wilken set up a table with cookies and water and offered them to anyone who walked past her.

She also would share information about getting the state to create a women veteran coordinator position.

"The benefit of having that voice is that it's a one-stop shop for information, both local, state, and federal," she said.  "They'll know about benefits available to women veterans that are specific for women veterans."

She says neighboring states such as Ohio and Kentucky have similar positions and believes Indiana's female veterans are missing out on needed support without one.

"Since we are now going into combat roles, we need to make sure that here in Indiana we have a voice for those veterans and to connect organizations throughout the state that already do events for women veterans," said Wilken.  "But, our state is not connected."

The position existed on a volunteer basis until 2010.  U.S Navy Veteran Kris Bertrand served as the volunteer coordinator.

"Statistically, women veterans do not receive benefits in comparison to our male veteran counter parts," said Bertrand.  "A lot of time because women are told 'well you weren't in combat, so you are not a veteran,' and that's still a mentality even today.  Fortunately, that part is going away."

Wilken wants money to be budgeted to create a full-time position by 2015. She says the salary would cost about $40,000 along with standard state employee benefits.

"We feel as though the Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs is working to try and make this better for veterans," said Wilken.  "But, I do believe women veterans have been something that has been overlooked."

She and others testified on the issue Wednesday at the Commission on Military and Veterans Affairs meeting.