(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Dana Beesley)
When she left the military in 2005, Jodie M. Grenier went from being on a team of intelligence analysts reporting to then-Marine Corps Gen. Jim Mattis, with a top security clearance, to waiting tables. “It was frustrating. I had a very purpose-driven job, and when I got out, I went to a community college and waited tables,” Grenier said.
As more female troops transition from active duty to civilian life, they face unique challenges. Lack of a community of fellow female vets, lack of childcare assistance for single mothers and financial instability due to lack of financial literacy are all issues women veterans face, experts say. While some of these challenges affect all veterans, the issues are compounded for women because of cultural stereotypes and the gender pay gap.
“Civilians often fail to recognize women as veterans, leading to mistrust between women veterans and their counterparts,” said Grenier, CEO of Foundation for Women Warriors, an organization that assists women veterans and their children.
About 67 percent of women veterans find their financial transition from the military difficult, compared to 47 percent of men; and more women vets experience “loss of income” as a key transition challenge compared to male vets.
Women veterans also have different social and psychological experiences than women who are private citizens. When transitioning into society, these differences can upend the expectations people normally have about women.
Dawn Fitzgerald started serving in the Navy right after high school. She transitioned out of active duty in 1998 and worked her way up from a janitor at Merck to a senior specialist in that company’s supply chain division. “When you have strong leadership skills, sometimes, people don’t like that,” Fitzgerald, 44, said. “I have been told many times that I am intimidating.”
The military encourages a direct communication style that many civilian workplaces might not understand, according to Kayla Williams, senior director at the Center for a New American Security. Many veterans talk about the need to change their communication style when they become civilians; the societal penalty for directness is higher for women than men, experts say.
“Women can pay a higher penalty for not conforming to some of those expectations,” Williams said. “It is a jarring transition and can take some real recalibration of your presentation style if you are coming into a significantly different work environment. These women veterans also need training on social and psychological skills to cope with the transitions.”
More women vets are likely to be single parents than male veterans, experts say. In such a situation, planning for financial stability and housing becomes imperative. Further, finding affordable childcare while pursuing education becomes a major obstacle. “There are subsidized programs, but when you are working and in school, your income is just over the threshold, and it becomes an issue to get subsidized childcare.”
A lack of a natural peer network where women can freely share their experiences leads to isolation during the transition. “Though the number of women veterans is increasing, there are still so few that they lack a natural peer support network, which can be an emotional challenge,” Her organization holds workshops to connect veterans with the community.
Here are a few of the organizations that help with the challenges mentioned above.
Foundation for Women Warriors – https://foundationforwomenwarriors.org/
Connect with the community: The foundation provides one-day, professional development workshops that bring women veterans together with leaders in business and academia to teach about negotiating salary, self-branding, and creating a sense of community.
Childcare assistance: They provide childcare stipends for daycare (children ages 0-5) and spring, summer and winter camp assistance for working or student veteran mothers.
Final Salute Inc. https://www.finalsaluteinc.org/Home.html
The programs have assisted women veterans and children in over 30 states and territories.
One program, called H.O.M.E., provides a full range of transition services like housing, food, clothing, childcare assistance. Their other program, S.A.F.E., offers financial education to help with financial planning.
