Women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, more than 2 million strong today.
This story was originally published by The Contrarian as “Women Who Serve Also Face the Trump Administration’s Misogyny.”
As the war in Iran rages on, 13 United States armed service members have been killed, three of them women. Nearly 20 percent of those currently serving across the entire U.S. military are women—who also represent the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, more than 2 million strong today.
Not surprisingly, women who serve are also a direct target of the misogyny of the Trump administration.
Below is a round-up of this week’s news about women in the military, plus a personal statement of deep gratitude to the women who put their lives on the line for this country.
Abortion and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
As of the close of 2025, the VA announced it would immediately stop providing abortions and related counseling to pregnant veterans, even in instances of rape, incest or health emergencies—including in those states that protect abortion rights. In the same memorandum, the VA stripped abortion care and counseling from the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), the widely used benefits program covering veterans’ dependents and family members.
All told, the VA rules amount to one of the strictest abortion bans in the country—more restrictive than the policies for those who rely on Medicaid, as well as for people incarcerated in federal prisons. And the VA impacts a wide-ranging and growing swath of the U.S. population: Nearly half a million female veterans of reproductive age are enrolled in VA healthcare plans; more than 112,000 impacted women are enrolled in CHAMPVA.
Republicans just voted to uphold an abortion ban for 462,000 women veterans—even in cases of rape, incest or if their health is endangered.
Richard Blumenthal
Last week, the Senate fell short in advancing a motion to reinstate VA coverage of abortion care and counseling—losing in a 50-48 vote that included support from Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Remarked Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blume