Wife and Mother. Soldier and Veteran. How can these descriptions apply to the same person?
Today, women are in combat. When they return, service women experience unique challenges their male counterparts do not.
Each story is as unique as the woman herself, yet there are common themes that unite her story with those of other returning warriors, men and women: emotional, mental, and physical support around access to benefits, education, employment, military sexual trauma, medical and mental health care, and legal issues.
On Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at 5 p.m., Rhode Island PBS, in collaboration with RIServes, the Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs, and Operation Stand Down Rhode Island convene a community of veterans, families, service providers, and the public to screen three short video profiles and discuss issues raised.
The profiles explore the personal experiences of Rhode Island women veterans, and the discussion highlights successes emerging from statewide coordination by RIServes of dozens of independent organizations, working together to overcome fractured access and siloed delivery of programs and services to veterans.
There will also be a display of the traveling 10-piece gallery from the Women Veterans Arts Exhibit.
Following opening remarks by Rhode Island PBS President David W. Piccerelli, and the Director of the Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs and RIServes Kasim Yarn, Jennifer McDermott, journalist with the Rhode Island bureau of the Associated Press, will moderate the discussion with panelists:
- Judith Berger, LICSW, Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator, Providence VA Medical Center
- Micaela Black, MEd, CRC, LMHC, VetSuccess On-Campus Coordinator
- Michael Jolin, Strategic Planning, Communications & Policy Administrator, Rhode Island Office of Veterans Affairs
- Dee DeQuattro Rothermel, Director of Development and Legal Services, Operation Stand Down Rhode Island
The event is free. Men and women veterans are invited, as well as families, veterans service organizations, and the public. Studio seating is limited, however. Advance registration is required. Light refreshments will be served. Free parking is available.
The Rhode Island Women Warriors Coming Home: Finding What Works video stories will launch online through social media as part of a national Veterans Coming Home campaign from October 26 through November 23.
The Rhode Island PBS project also includes a documentary with five profiles, produced for television and broadcast on the Veterans Day weekend, November 9 at 8 p.m., November 10 at noon and 11 p.m., and November 11 at 7 p.m.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) content over the air on digital 36.1; on Rhode Island cable services: Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, Full Channel 08; on Massachusetts cable services: Comcast 819HD, Verizon 18 / 518HD; on satellite: DirecTV 36 / 3128HD, Dish Network 36.
