ABSTRACT
How do women fit into the war-fighting plan in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations in the world today? And what psychological needs might they have when they return home? The overarching goal of this chapter is to increase counselors’ awareness of gender-specific issues women face both in the combat zone and on the home front. For the civilian mental health provider, an understanding of the military culture and its impact on women is essential in order to help female military members who may be experiencing combat stress. Very few guides have been written to address the needs of women veterans, and women are finding themselves in circumstances that were unheard of 15 years ago in the military. And many misconceptions continue as women’s roles expand during these turbulent yet historical times of the U.S. military.
