How one Army vet is lifting female service members

'It's a harder identification': How one Army vet is lifting female service members

Yahoo Finance
March 23, 2020

“I was a bit of a Private Benjamin,” she said. “I didn't know what I was getting myself into.”

When Lucy Del Gaudio parks in a veteran space, attends events for former service members, or is out with her husband on Veterans Day, she hardly is recognized.

“They're like: ‘Oh, thank you for your service, Mr. Del Gaudio,” said the Army vet from the Desert Storm era. “That's something that women face all the time... it's a harder identification and they automatically assume that he's the veteran, not you.”

That invisibility hurts female veterans in bigger ways — from homelessness to health care — and Del Gaudio is working hard to combat that. But it was a long journey for her as she had to first overcome sexual trauma she experienced in the military before giving back.

“I felt like my service was tarnished. I really didn't discuss it” until a friend in 2014 convinced her to join a veterans organization, se explained. “He goes: ‘Lucy, you should join. Your story should be heard. Other women veterans should know what you experienced and you could help them.’"
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Private Benjamin (1980) Official Trailer - Goldie Hawn, Eileen Brennan Movie HD

Female Marine Veteran's benefits cut off after VA used wrong address?

Happy UPDATE

In the wake of a KARE 11 investigation exposing a Marine Corps veteran facing eviction because of a VA mistake, a judge expunges the veteran’s record.

KARE 11 Investigates: Mail sent to wrong address puts family on brink of homelessness

KARE 11 NBC News
Author: A.J. Lagoe, Steve Eckert
Published: 12:13 PM CST February 3, 2020

A Marine Corps veteran had her PTSD benefits dropped from 100% to zero after VA sent important notifications to wrong address.

LAKEVILLE, Minn. — Join us Monday night for KARE 11 News at 10 p.m. to hear Maria's story.

“That’s my daughter’s dress,” Maria Jewell said, pointing to the picture of a little red dress listed for sale on an online garage sale.

“I feel like I failed her,” Jewell said, fighting back tears, “I’m supposed to be taking care of her, it’s not supposed to be the other way around.”

Instead of celebrating Christmas by buying gifts, Jewell and her teenage daughter resorted to selling their furniture and clothes just to put food on the table and gas in the car.

The family spent the holidays fearing the looming possibility they’d end up living in a shelter.

“I did not do anything wrong,” Jewell said. “And here I sit, can’t pay my rent, facing eviction.”

Their struggles could have been easily avoided.

A KARE 11 investigation discovered she was facing homelessness all because the Department of Veterans Affairs kept sending her mail to the wrong address, even though records show they had her correct address all along.

Still, the VA blames her for the mistake.

KARE 11’s investigation of improper ER bill denials led VA Inspector General Michael Missal’s office to discover years’ worth of mail piling up in processing centers around the country.
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