A bill passed by the Ohio Legislature and awaiting the governor's signature designates June 12 as Women Veterans' Day in the state.
There are 67 thousand female veterans living in Ohio. Angela Beltz chairs the Ohio Women Veterans Advisory Committee. She says in the past social and cultural norms often discouraged women from discussing their military service, which often still gets overlooked:
Beltz says many female vets still struggle for access to services and benefits. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says the percentage of female vets is expected to rise from nine to 16 percent by 2042.
