Understanding Female Veterans Statistics with Kate Hendricks

This episode was sponsored by Gracefully Global Group:

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The Marine Corps was in Kate's blood. As a Marine Corps brat, she decided to join the military and originally picked the Air Force. But after a year as part of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program she wanted to switch to the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps felt like home. So she switched from AF ROTC to Marine Corps ROTC which is run under the Navy ROTC program.

When she picked her career field she knew she wanted to help people so she picked Military Police or Public Affairs. She was excited when she was selected for military police. But found the work challenging because she found herself helping people on their worst day or in some really hard circumstances. She decided not to continue to serve in the military but before leaving she deployed to Iraq. She loved her job overseas in Iraq. There she found a sense of purpose and felt she was contributing to the mission of the military. She also made really good friends.

A change in direction

When she came home from her deployment her brother had been injured in Iraq and she spent most of her 30 days of post-deployment leave with him at the hospital. It began a spark to led her to where she is today. She also decided to serve another tour of service.

When she left the military originally she began working at a fitness center but found the job more focused on meeting quotas and the people who could afford the help of one on one coaching didn't really need this. This led her on a path of holistic medicine and healing. She began a career in health science. She eventually received her Ph.D. And today she studies evidence-based mental physical and peak performance. She has put her work in her books. Her latest book is called Stopping Military Veteran Suicides and is told through stories and research.

Female Veterans Statistics

She is also currently working with the University of Alabama and other women veterans and women veterans advocates for a study on accessing the needs of  US women who have served in the Armed Forces. Over 3,000 women veterans have taken the survey so far. If you would like to provide your thoughts click here.

There is already evidence for higher cancer rates in women for breast cancer and reproduction. So it is important to take care of your health and begin regular health screenings even earlier than recommended. Kate's doctor recommended a mammogram when she was 38 and is now fighting stage four cancer. She said that doctor added years to her life and encourages women to take their health seriously.

Connect with Kate:

www.DocKate.com

@thedrkate

Mentioned in this episode:

Women veteran study

Books (affiliate links):

Stopping Military Suicides

Brave Strong True

Related episodes:

Looking at Military Transition from a Different Perspective - Episode 125

An Invisible Combat Veteran's Story - Episode 90

The Pressure to Proove Yourself in the Marines - Episode 94

Check out the full transcript here.  

Thank you to my Patreon Sponsor Col Level and above:
Kevin Barba, Adriana Keefe, Lorraine Diaz

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Resources:

Women of the Military Mentorship Program

Girl's Guide to Military Service available where books are sold. 

Signed copies of A Girl's Guide to Military Service

Girl's Guide to the Military Series