Free Women Veterans' Conference & Health Fair in Albuquerque
 
 
Saturday, October 15th (8am-4pm)
Albuquerque/Crowne Plaza Hotel
1901 University Ave. SE (near Menaul)
 
 
 
(ALBUQUERQUE, NM)The New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services is teaming with the veterans' service organization Women Veterans of New Mexico and the New Mexico Behavioral Health Collaborative to present the 2011 Women Veterans' Conference and Health Fair in Albuquerque on October 15th from 8am-4pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
 
The conference is free, and a box lunch will be provided. The first 50 women veterans to pre-register will receive a free $40 Walmart Gift Card at the end of the conference. In addition, the first 20 women veterans to pre-register and who are coming from at least 75-miles outside of Albuquerque will receive free overnight lodging at the hotel. A valid driver's license and a utility bill must be provided during registration by these first 20 registrants to prove residency 75 miles outside of Albuquerque in order to receive the free overnight lodging.
 
At the conference, representatives from the NMDVS, the Albuquerque VA Regional Office, the New Mexico VA Health Care System and other veterans' service organizations will present information about VA and state veterans' benefits and programs ranging from filing for disability compensation, the new 9/11 G.I. Education Bill, state property tax exemptions and other benefits available to all veterans.
 
A representative from the NMDVS Veterans' Business Outreach Center will also have information about programs and services offered through this “one-stop shop” to assist veterans with everything needed to start or expand a small business.
 
The New Mexico VA Health Care System will be offering free Body Mass Index (BMI) testing as part of a new Health Fair element to the annual conference this year. Information will be also available from the VA and other health agencies about detection and treatment for coronary disease, breast cancer, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma, and other health and behavioral conditions.
 
And with the cold weather season coming soon, representatives from the New Mexico Human Services Department's Income Support Division will also be there with information regarding LIHEAP, a federally-funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that provides support to low-income households for utility bill payments.
 
For pre-registration, go to www.womenveteransofnewmexico.com
 
For more information, contact WVNM President Pat Gaston @ (505) 610-0787 or pgvulcan@yahoo.com
 
 
Facts about Women Vets
 
More than 16,000 of New Mexico's 176,000 veterans are women. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population. 1.8 million of the 23.4 million veterans nationwide are women. 15% of the active-duty force are women, and this number could grow to 20% within five years.
 
U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs studies show women run twice the risk of suffering from battle stress and developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than their male counterparts. And more women veterans are being treated for cases of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) as the result of being sexually harassed by male soldiers. These topics will be discussed at the conference by behavioral experts from the VA Hospital and VA Women's Clinic.
 
The VA also says the number of women using VA facilities nationwide is expected to double within five years.