Women play a crucial role in protecting America at home and abroad. There are more than 210,000 women serving on active duty. Thousands of mothers, sisters, daughters and spouses of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are also making sacrifices while their loved ones are away.
We are committed to advocating for veterans every day, breaking down barriers and opening up opportunities for them and their families.
Education Benefits & Veterans: House Bill 2021
On April 23, 2021, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed HB 2021 into law. The bill waives tuition and fees for spouses and dependents of public safety officers and personnel who are injured or disabled while performing service-related duties.
Occupational Licensing & Veterans
Economic and regulatory barriers stand in the way of Americans — including veterans — who want to start a business, pursue a new career, or simply take the certification they’ve earned across state lines.
Occupational licensing rules vary from state to state, and govern professions ranging from cosmetology to architecture, forming an invisible barrier that affect business owners and entrepreneurs.
Military veterans offer a wealth of skills and experience that are in high demand in today’s job market, but occupational licensing regulations can stand in their way. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the training and skills people receive in the military are applicable to at least 962 civilian occupations.
Licensing regulations can also impact the spouses of military service members because licenses don’t usually transfer across state lines. That means having to pursue hours of costly training and shell out hefty fees just to legally practice their profession.
No one should be prevented from earning a living because of an outdated or redundant licensing regulation, especially not those who have served and sacrificed on our behalf.
PROJECT DIANE
United WE conducted Project Diane, a research study examining the integration of women into the military. The research, conducted in partnership with the University of Kansas and the Army Research Institute, showed significant barriers and potential benefits to gender integration in the U.S. Army Special Forces.
Led by KU researchers, the research included a large-scale survey to analyze 24 focus groups with 198 Special Forces men and women. The study was intended to draw attention to the stereotypes and institutional barriers that hold women back in the military and other male dominated professions so they can be addressed, allowing women greater opportunities to lead.
Report findings uncovered confidence opportunities and limitations, structural barriers and the value of sharing experiences. The research also showed resistance to gender integration in the military, particularly in the elite Special Operations units. Organizational policies reinforce gender inequality and stereotypes not only for women in the military, but in corporate and private sectors as well.
As a result of the study, researchers recommended policy changes aimed at integrating women into combat arms of the military, taking into account the entrenched nature of gendered practices.
At United WE, we know that mentoring and support networks are both important and necessary. We also know that challenging the conversation begins with recognition of the problem. This study highlighted a critical need for training for all members of the military around gender norms and expectations, and how inattention to these dynamics may derail organizational development.
Wartime Veteran’s Survivor Grant Program
In 2016, Missouri legislature passed the reauthorization of the Wartime Veteran’s Survivor Grant Program, which provides grants to the children and spouses of military veterans, allowing them to attend a Missouri university and obtain a college education that may otherwise have been cost-prohibitive.