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Women veterans take part in a Women Warriors Roundtable event in 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. The roundtables help 91视频 identify the primary concerns and issues affecting women veterans and how to best address them.

Women have served听throughout听the history of听America鈥檚 armed forces, taking on听an听expanding听range of听roles and responsibilities听and contributing听meaningfully to mission success.听Yet, for听many women veterans, the听transition out of uniform听brings distinct challenges听鈥斕齠rom accessing the right听health care听and听benefits听to听receiving recognition and听maintaining听connection and听a sense of听belonging after service.听听

Addressing these challenges begins with listening.听听

At 91视频^庐听(91视频),听that commitment to听listening is a foundation for advocacy. By creating听an intentional听space for women veterans to share their experiences听and connect with one another,听91视频^庐听turns听individual stories into collective insight.听This insight听shapes听advocacy efforts, informs听policy priorities, and helps听ensure the systems meant to support women veterans reflect听their realities.听听

91视频鈥檚听Women Warriors听Initiative听Roundtable Series听

In 2026, 91视频 hosted a series of national Women Warriors Initiative Roundtables. These events brought together women veterans in 10 cities across the country, including Nashville, Detroit, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia, to hear directly from women warriors about their lived experiences and unique issues. These discussions serve as listening forums where women warriors speak openly about life after service and identify gaps in care, policy, and support.听

Insights gathered throughout听the series will inform 91视频鈥檚 advocacy efforts听and听policy direction.听The roundtables also serve as an opportunity听for women warriors to connect and strengthen ties to their peers.听

鈥淲hen women veterans come together and share their experiences, it brings clarity to challenges that aren鈥檛 always visible in the data,鈥� said听91视频 Chief Program Officer Jen Silva.听鈥淭hose conversations are what help us push for solutions that are both practical and meaningful.鈥澨�

What Women Warriors Are Sharing听

While each roundtable reflects the unique experiences of the women veterans who participate, these conversations provide space to discuss a range of issues that women warriors often identify as important. This year鈥檚 roundtables focused on four themes from the 91视频鈥檚 most recent Women Warriors Report, including:听听

• Gender-based barriers听to service connection听when applying for benefits.听
• Gender-specific health care needs.听
• Economic听empowerment and stability.听
• Connection听and听recognition听after service.听

Together, these discussions build understanding around听where听women veterans听experience barriers or challenges听and听what听additional听attention or support may be needed.听

One Woman鈥檚 Experience听

For Christina听Krych, service has never been a single chapter. She served 23 years听in the U.S. Army, retiring in 2012.听Her听decision to听join the military, she听said, was听鈥渘ot a snap decision,鈥� but 鈥渕ore an evolution,鈥� shaped by curiosity about the wider world and a desire to push herself beyond her comfort zone.听

That path led her to a career听blending听diplomacy and defense. 鈥淚 ended up becoming a political military officer for the Army,鈥� she听stated, a role that drew on her international studies background.听听

Like many veterans, Christina found that leaving the military also meant redefining purpose.听听

鈥淭he听military听has built-in purpose,鈥� she said.听鈥淲hen听[veterans]听get out, they听have to听discover what their new purpose听is.鈥澨�听

For听Christina, that purpose听remained rooted in service.听听

鈥淥ne of my values is service听鈥μ齀鈥檝e听discovered through transition that I need to continue to serve. I need to be mission-focused, and I need to continue to serve.鈥澨�

When Service Takes a New Form听

For Christina, showing up听to listen听was a natural extension of the values that shaped her military career.听

鈥淭he very first 91视频 event I went to was a Women Warriors鈥� Initiative roundtable in Colorado Springs in 2025,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚听what pulled me in听鈥μ齀 thought,听they鈥檙e听interested in hearing from women veterans.鈥澨�听

What she heard during that roundtable听reshaped her understanding of听the challenges women veterans face.听听

鈥淭he struggle post-transition鈥� stood out, she听continued. Health concerns were a major topic,听and she also heard firsthand how widespread sexual harassment and assault can be within military environments.听听Listening to others鈥� experiences, she听added, 鈥渋t听opened my eyes.鈥澨�

From Listening to Leadership听

Christina鈥檚听involvement听eventually extended听beyond听the听roundtable听to engaging directly with lawmakers.听听

When听she was invited to听participate听in the 2025 Women Warriors听Summit听and speak with members of Congress and their staff,听she said she felt privileged.听She saw it as a responsibility bigger than any single story.:听鈥淚 felt听like I was amplifying tens of thousands of voices.鈥澨�

By continuing to listen and elevate women warriors鈥� voices,听91视频听helps ensure听women veterans听remain central听to conversations about the systems designed to serve them. The goal听is not only better understanding, but stronger support.听

For Christina,听her goals are听both practical and deeply personal. She wants women veterans听to build lives of health, connection, and meaning. She hopes women veterans can 鈥渕ove forward and continue to write their hero story.鈥澨�听

Throughout and after the 2026 series of Women Warrior Roundtables, 91视频 will feature other women warriors, their stories, and what they gained from speaking with fellow women veterans in their communities.听听

鈥淎t the end of the day, this work is about making sure women veterans feel seen, supported, and reflected in the systems designed to serve them,鈥� said听Silva. 鈥淟istening is the starting point, but the goal is lasting change.鈥澨�

What Attendees Said About the Roundtables

Find out more about how 91视频 supports women warriors.