Montana Veterans' Affairs: A Matter for Men Only?

Veteran affairs are a matter of growing concern as Montana’s veteran population is both growing and aging. This is no doubt a key reason why Jon Tester has made advocating on behalf of Montana’s heroes and wounded warriors a central feature of his mission as a Senator. Perhaps because many of these Vets are likely to be Republicans, Matt Rosendale has recently jumped on the bandwagon.

About a month ago—pretty late when it comes to this current political cycle—Rosendale announced his plan to double-down on Veterans’ issues, via the creation of an advisory board centering on health care. “This advisory board,” he said, “provides me with the opportunity to hear directly from our veterans about the conditions they’re facing and what needs to be done to address wait times and ensure that they are receiving the health care they deserve.”

Rosendale’s hand-picked advisory board is made up of eleven Vets, all from Montana. Great, but for the fact that they are all men. Given that one in ten veterans is a woman, and that even as male numbers are decreasing the female veteran population is growing, Rosendale’s advisory board is blindingly stupid from a demographic point of view. Add to this the fact that women’s health needs are distinctly different from men’s, and it is clear that an eleven-man advisory board is not likely to render much real “advice” on women’s health concerns. This is especially true, in light of the fact that one in five female vets reports “military sexual trauma” (and yes, that is the clinical term for the specific variation on PTSD that afflicts servicewomen) as a major concern.

I don’t imagine Mr. Rosendale has the time nor the inclination to respond to questions about his advisory board that are coming from a Progressive Democrat like me. He has his sights set on national office, while I’m just running for State Senate District 19 . But one of his Veterans Advisory Board members, Kenneth Bogner, happens to be my Republican opponent. An Iraq war vet himself, he has highlighted veterans’ issues as a major concern of his, and said he is looking forward to the advisory board’s work. I think he should be able to shed some valuable light on what this male-defined work will look like.

So, Kenneth, I am calling on you to explain how a group of eleven men will incorporate the specific health needs and concerns of the women who have served at your side, yet not been granted a place at your table. The people—male and female—of Senate 19, which is the largest senate district in the state, spanning most of eastern Montana, have a right to know where you are coming from on this issue. Where do you—where will you—stand on military women’s health issues?