As president of the National Women Veterans United (NWVU), I eagerly look forward to working with each of you to accomplish our annual goals and new initiatives in 2012. Often I reflect back on my past work of over 20 years with the U S Department of Veterans Affairs. I served in several capacities including VA Benefits Counselor, files clerk, claims clerk and an education clerk. In addition during my tenure I served terms as the Women's Program Manager and the EEO Chairman. When I resigned in 1996 from the USDVA I worked 2 years as a homeless casemanager with Featherfist Social Services and started their veteran initiatives. In 1998 I was appointed as the Director for Mayor Daley's Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs and served on the Council for more than 13 years also as a Board Commissioner. I then received an appointment with no political affiliation 2003-2007 under Governor Blagovich as the Assistant Director for the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) where I take great pride in the many initiatives, changes and implementations that I accomplished with then Director Roy Dolgos to bring IDVA up to greatly needed agency standards. In 2007 I transitioned to DCFS.  I tell you my background because I want you to know that I am no stranger to community involvment in veterans affairs. With my continued service in community I have seen much of the improvements and the gaps that still exist. Although there have been many challenges, it has been rewarding to meet people of all walks of life and backgrounds. So now is the time of urgency and we must move forward in a more aggressive manner to find solutions, for gaps in service delivery and identifying resources needed for servicewomen and women veterans who are gracefully aging. In particular for those women returning and those that have invisable and physical disabilities.

  Our priorities must be inclusive of streamline advocacy for homelessness and more programs and services to meet the needs and challenges we face for affordable ADA housing, employment opportunities and long term care.

    Thousands of servicewomen who return from deployment are confronted with transition and adjustment issues from military to civilian lifestyles. We must be committed to ensuring that they have access to the equivalent of healthcare services and programs that our male veteran counterparts are recipients of; with special services and attention for victims of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Assault, to include privacy and avoidance of mental health stigma. The VA must also place special emphasis on maturing women veterans receiving even greater healthcare prevention services. At all cost we want to ensure that servicewomen and women veterans remain mentally and physically healthy.

   Our advocacy must be more proactive in advocating for new standards to address the unacceptable and historical practice of long waiting periods for processing VA benefit claims for homeless women veterans and men.

  Lastly, our experience and leadership is greatly needed in community youth programs and I encourage each of you to lend yourself to this very important issue.

I thank our comrades and community partners for their continued generosity to support NWVU in achieving its’ purpose.

Rochelle Crump, President

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Who We Are 

The National Women Veterans United (NWVU) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization in which membership comprises of women who are military veterans or currently enlisted in the Armed Forces including the National Guards and Reserves  regardless of race, color, age, religion, or sexual orientation. 

    NWVU seeks to be the voice for the voiceless 

Our Mission

The mission of (NWVU) is to advocate, educate and bond with women returning from deployment; to ensure they are connected to appropriate direct services and resources for readjustment and coping skills as they return to employment, school and family. In addition, NWVU assists women with learning how to access their VA health care and other well being services within federal, state and local government with special emphasis on victims of military sexual trauma  & assault, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and homelessness.

One Voice . One Vision

We will not write ourselves out of history!

Register your service or the service of other women who have served in the Armed Forces at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial

www.womensmemorial.org