KITSAP COUNTY, Wash. — Tina Bigelow was “proud and privileged” to serve her country as a naval officer for nearly 20 years, but said the federal government could do a better job caring for its veterans, especially women.
The Poulsbo woman said the military took good care of her when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, both while she was in the Navy, and as a retiree.
”With cancer, with many of the things my fellow veterans suffer from, our recovery isn’t a one and done, it’s a journey,” said Bigelow.
She has relied on Veterans Affairs hospitals and the Wounded Warrior Project for medical and emotional support. But she said more needs to be done to help veterans who are either afraid to ask for help, or don’t know there’s help available.
“We need to do that outreach and make a concerted effort to go to those who are unseen, who may have been traumatized by their very service, so the last thing they want to do is go back to the VA and say, ‘Help me,’” said Bigelow.
She was part of a roundtable discussion on care for women veterans with the Wounded Warrior Project and U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate’s Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing titled, “Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at VA.
Kirsten Laha-Walsh from the Wounded Warrior project told senators two out of three female service members experienced sexual harassment while in active-duty, and two out of five experienced sexual assault.
Laha-Walsh spent eight years in the Navy working as a hospital corpsman.
“We are steadfast in our commitment to our women warriors, ensuring that they receive the respect, recognition and support they so rightly deserve,” said Laha-Walsh.
In an interview Tuesday, Laha-Walsh said women veterans need extra help after serving their country.
“They're being exposed to a lot of things that they weren't expecting, such as trauma, combat, military sexual assault, and unfortunately, where the gaps are, are, you know, a lot of our warriors do not feel safe reporting these things while they're in service,” said Laha-Walsh.
The hearing was held to examine whether the VA is “providing adequate resources and care for women veterans,” according to a press release from the office of committee member Sen. Patty Murray.
The statement said Murray helped secure a $150 million boost for “gender-specific health care services and improvements to help women veterans” in the recently signed VA appropriations bill.
Bigelow said anyone who serves deserves help long after they leave the military.
"Most of all its visibility to say that you matter, where you are today is fine," said Bigelow.
Watch KING 5's top stories on YouTube