“Don't We Take Care of Our Veterans?” The Critical Need for Veteran's Health Services Infertility Services for Veterans: Policies, Challenges, and Opportunities

Abstract

Since October 2001, more than 2.7 million men and women of the armed forces have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, or in support of the "Global War on Terrorism." Like previous wars, our nation will feel the after-effects of those deployments for a generation to come, as the wounds of war do not just affect the veteran, but impact their family and friends once they return to the home front. But unlike previous wars, less than 1% of our population serves their country in an all-volunteer military. This small percentage of Americans who volunteer to serve us and protect our freedoms (no matter what you might think about the politics surrounding wars) is increasingly removed from the rest of the population who choose other careers and options. Therefore, most of us are uneducated and unconnected to the often isolating experiences and frustrations of our veterans when they return to the home front and try to retake the stage of their former lives. In this discussion, we share the compelling stories of military members and veterans who struggle with infertility. We describe the need for policy and expansion of services for infertility care in the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration, and the challenges and opportunities that exist.