According to a press release, Kentucky's Gov. Steve Beshear has named 2015 the Year of the Woman Veteran.
The Courier-Journal reported that the Southern state is home to 33,000 female former servicemembers. Women make up 10 percent of the overall veteran population. Over the next 12 months, Kentucky will introduce a number of programs and initiatives specifically geared toward helping this demographic of veterans achieve success in their life after service.
In April, the state will hold a conference to identify the needs of female veterans and to discuss issues of importance. Some of the topics that will be covered include mental health, physical health, employment, housing and education, reported the Courier-Journal.
The source noted that even though Kentucky's overall number of veterans has been declining in recent years, the number of former servicemembers who are women has been steadily on the rise. Female veterans are much less likely to seek benefits and services, however. Currently, less than 6 percent of Kentucky's women soldiers have filed claims with The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs.
"Throughout the year, KDVA will reach out to both women veterans and the general public to honor our heroic women veterans and connect them to veteran benefits and services," Beshear stated in the release.