ONEWALK

TOO MANY TIMES DURING MY VISIT TO NORTHEAST VA MEDICAL CENTERS I AM CALLED MR. ! tHIS IS HARD TOO GRASP BECAUSE MY NAME IS GENDERIZED (FEMALE). OR THE MEDICAL STAFF ASK WHERE IS YOUR HUSBAND. LET ME TELL YOU THAT CAN BE INSULTING WHEN YOU HAVE PERSERVERED THROUGH ALL THE SEXIST-GENDER BIAS IN THE MILITARY.I JUST GRACEFULLY STATE 'NO' ! THEN I LET THEM KNOW IAM THE RIGHT PATIENT.I SURELY THOUGHT THAT KIND OF MENTALITY WAS GONE BUT HOW CAN IT BE GONE AT THE VA MEDICAL CENTERS IF IT STILL EXSIST IN THE MILITARY RANKS ?

ONEWALK

Oh well we have to be gods gifted to be able to get this far after active duty.

blackhawkgal

It happens to me all the time, too! Except that the spelling of my name is like the Spanish spelling of a man's name so not only do they call me MR. or ask where my husband is...they also call for me in the Spanish version of the name and sound excited because they got it right this time...VERY FRUSTRATING!! I read another response to another blog and they said to have them put Ms. by your name...maybe that will work. It will be a long time before this leaves BOTH sectors. You know what is the most frustrating for me--the people calling the names and sitting at the sign-in desks are mostly females where I go. I can handle it a little better when a man assumes that I am a man because I'm used to that in the military, but it hurts worse when a female ASSUMES I'm a man and doesn't give the proper respects because they've been institutionalized into thinking all veterans are males. Good Luck!

__________________
"Some people die at 25 and are not buried until 75."
~Benjamin Franklin

Let this not be us! ~ Your Friend, Jaime

Heirwoman

I get the same thing... When I talk to someone about being a military transplant they automatically assume I'm married and that my husband is the reason I'm here. I'm not married and when I was married my husband was in the Army (yet another slap in the face). Being grouped in a generic title as "Army" is an insult. I was in the AIR FORCE!! People in the Army are brave soldiers and I'm proud to call them my brothers and sisters in arms, but when it comes to me and my alligence I made an oath the AIR FORCE, not the Army.

__________________
“God did not create woman from man's head, that he should command her, nor from his feet, that she should be his slave, but rather from his side, that she should be near his heart” - Hebrew Proverb

ckleeh

A few years back I was at a VA hospital, and got on an elevator with two older gentlemen. One of them asked, "Are you here to see your dad?"
"No."
"Are you here to see you grand dad?"
"No."
"Well, you look to young to have a husband?"
"I don't. I'm not married. I'm here for me."

I go there it so much.

One day I had a VA employee ask why I wasn't wearing my id. I've never seen any other vets wear there ID. He apologized.

Some day may be we will be better recognized.