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Announcing Colorado’s First Annual Women Veterans Conference & Healthcare Expo

Announcing Colorado’s First Annual

Women Veterans Conference and Healthcare Expo

Saturday, September 17, 2011 - Wings Over the Rockies

Federal, state, local government, and nonprofit agencies, partner

to provide outreach to women Veterans

DENVER – To honor the service of more than 38,000 Colorado Women Veterans, federal, state and local government agencies and nonprofit Women and Veteran organizations, have partnered to host the first Colorado Women Veterans Conference and Healthcare Expo on Sat., Sept. 17, 2011, at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, 7711 Academy Blvd. #1, Denver.  The mission of the conference is to provide a day of learning, networking and rejuvenation to honor, educate and serve Colorado women Veterans who have served our country.

Honored speakers include Lt. Col. Cynthia Rasmussen, RN MSN CANP, Director Psychological Health, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (alt.), 88th Regional Support Command in Ft. Snelling, Minn. Rasmussen has served in the Army Reserve for 22 years and also as a mental health nurse in her civilian career.  Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon (Ret.) US Air Force, Oklahoma Secretary Military and Veterans Affairs, will be the luncheon guest speaker. Aragon (Ret.) was appointed by Govenor Mary Fallin in 2011 and serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on veterans healthcare and benefits and is a dynamic speaker on women Veteran issues.

Nationwide, there are more than 1.8 million women Veterans of all eras. One of VA’s highest priorities is to continue to expand our services and outreach to ensure they receive the care and benefits they have earned.  “With more women serving in our armed forces than ever before, this conference is a great opportunity to focus attention on the issues unique to women Veterans,” U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Denver Regional Office Acting Director Tracey Betts said.  Today, over 200,000 women are serving in the armed forces and about 11 percent of the U.S. forces currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq are women.

 This event will highlight the healthcare and educational services offered to the growing population of Colorado women Veterans. “The Denver VA Women Veterans Program (WVP) provides extensive support for a wide array of concerns including complex gynecological conditions or prenatal exams, mental health counseling, medical care coordination through a Primary Care Provider, and other referrals to specialty areas. For the first time, the Program now offers spiritual comfort from our female Chaplain Resident, Sarah Davis-Wright. With Community Based Outreach Clinics (CBOCs) throughout the state and our focus on bringing more services to rural areas, we are committed to meeting the comprehensive needs of women Veterans,” states Joan Eitzen, RN, PhD Women Veterans Program Manager.

 “This country is grateful for your service and recognizes that you deserve access to benefits and service for the sacrifice you have made,” stated Nancy C. Lee, M. D. deputy assistant secretary of health, women’s health director, office on women’s health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  “The members of the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW), Post #1 are dedicated to continuing the tradition of service to our country and its women Veterans by partnering to host the first conference dedicated to advocating women Veterans issues,” said Izzy Abbass, commander, VFW Post #1. HHS and VFW, along with VA and many other Veteran-centric organizations, are collaborating to bring this first time women Veteran conference to Denver.

Participants include: women Veterans, active duty women service members (to include those in the Reserves and National Guard) and representatives from a multitude of Veterans service organizations and nonprofit agencies.

Women who have served in the military, whether full time active duty, or Reserves or National Guard, are invited to participate in this event to increase awareness of VA benefits and services available for women Veterans.  To register for the Colorado Women Veterans Conference and Healthcare Expo, to be held Sat., Sept. 17, 2011, at Wings Over the Rockies, Denver, go to www.cowomenveteransconference.org. Organizations who would like to become a sponsor and/or host a resource table may find information and required forms on the website as well.  All Women who have served, are invited to pre-register to attend this free event.  Participants must pre-register and the event is open to 250 attendees.