My name is Jennifer Hunt, and I am a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. I grew up in Shelton, CT and enlisted in the Army Reserves shortly after September 11th. I’ve served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Civil Affairs Specialist and, in Iraq, I earned a Purple Heart when my Humvee was struck by a roadside bomb, causing shrapnel injuries to my face, arms and back.

Whether deployed or drilling stateside, I also serve as my unit’s designated Victim Advocate, as part of the Army’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program. I sincerely hope that my duties as Victim Advocate are ones that I will never have to perform.

But if I was called upon to serve as a Victim Advocate my official responsibilities would include: acting as the first point of contact for the victim; counseling them on what their options are for reporting the attack; notifying the installation’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator; and accompanying victims to medical appointments or related meetings. And I am ready, should the need arise, to provide personal support to the victim. I know first-hand how difficult and frustrating the healing process can be, because I was a victim of sexual assault as a civilian.

Unfortunately, the reality is that servicemembers have been coping with significant and underreported sexual assault and harassment in the military for decades. While sexual assault disproportionately affects female troops, male servicemembers are impacted too. And they may face even greater stigma when deciding whether to report it or seek care. In FY2009, there were more than 3,200 reports of sexual assault involving servicemembers. Even in the warzone, troops cannot escape the threat of sexual assault; there were 279 reported sexual assaults in combat areas last year. While these numbers are alarming, they grossly underestimate the severity of the issue. According to the Defense Department, only 20 percent of all unwanted sexual contact is reported to a military authority. This must change—and the time is now.

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During his Second Inaugural Address, President Abraham Lincoln pledged
America’s solemn obligation “To care for him who shall have borne the battle,
and for his widow, and his orphan.” More than 140 years later, the spirit of
Lincoln’s words are very much alive. However, women have joined the military’s
ranks—serving in new roles, in greater numbers than ever before, and in combat.
Like their male peers, women veterans have shown enormous dedication and
courage in defending their country. But too often, they do not receive the same
support, within the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

While new positions and doors of opportunity have been opened for women
in the services, they still face significant, unique challenges. Career progression
is often slower for women and they are underrepresented in the military’s
senior ranks. Challenges for women with young children and a perceived
lack of opportunity for advancement have led many women to leave the
service early in their careers. Inadequate military health care for women and
staggering rates of sexual assault and harassment are also hindering some
female troops from continuing their military careers. These challenges are
not only bad for servicemembers’ well-being and reflect the military’s failure
to properly protect its own, but they have a substantial impact on the mission
readiness of the overall force.

When they come home, female veterans are confronted with new challenges.
While it has made strides in recent years, the VA is still underprepared to provide
adequate care to the surge of female veterans coming to its hospitals and
clinics. In addition, women veterans face significant barriers when entering
the civilian workforce, and homeless rates among female veterans are on the
rise. Given the lack of support services for our women veterans, this comes as
no surprise.

Female troops and veterans deserve the same access to high-quality health care,
transitional resources, and benefits as their male counterparts. After honorably
fighting abroad, they should not have to wage new battles here at home. In order
to fully honor their outstanding contributions to the military and service
to the country, much more must be done to support our women warriors.

With the economy sinking deeper into recession, most American families
are feeling the pinch. But for military families, the financial crisis is hitting
even harder.

In the best of times, servicemembers experience difficulties coming home from
combat. Troops face a job market in which civilian employers rarely understand
or appreciate military skills and experience. Veterans may not have the resumewriting,
interviewing, and networking skills of their civilian peers. And during
deployments, military spouses often struggle to balance their jobs and the
responsibilities of being a single parent. These financial hardships have proven
to be too much for some Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families:

• In early 2008, foreclosure rates in military towns were increasing at four
times the national average.
• About 8 percent of veterans serving since September 11, 2001 are paying
more than half their income towards housing, placing them at a serious
risk for homelessness. Experts recommend spending no more than 36
percent of net income on housing costs.1
• Almost 2,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have already been seen in the
Department of Veterans Affairs’ homeless outreach program. However,
not all homeless veterans use VA services, so the real number of homeless
Iraq and Afghanistan veterans may in fact be higher.

As the national housing crisis deepens, these numbers may be just the
beginning. Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are already turning up on the
streets much faster than other generations of veterans, often within 18
months of coming home. And over time, the signature wounds of the
current conflicts—psychological wounds and traumatic brain injuries—may
contribute to higher rates of homelessness.

While homelessness programs have expanded in recent years, there are still
significant gaps in care. Above all, there is a dire need for new permanent
housing, expanded temporary housing, and a real investment in preventative
programs to keep these honorable men and women from living on the streets.
It is time to give servicemembers the homecoming they deserve.

The number of U.S. troops currently serving in Afghanistan has eclipsed those deployed in Iraq, the first time that this has happened since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003, American officials said on Monday.

According to the Pentagon, there are around 94,000 troops presently serving in Afghanistan as against 92,000 in Iraq.

Although President Barack Obama has promised to withdraw troops engaged in combat operations in Iraq by August end, around 50,000 are expected to stay back in the war-ravaged country till 2011 for training local forces.

But in the case of Afghanistan, the Obama administration ordered additional troop reinforcements to deal with a resurgent Taliban.

With 30,000 more U.S. troops joining their colleagues, the number of American soldiers deployed in Afghanistan is expected to reach 100,000 later this year, while NATO allies will contribute another 47,000 troops.