VA Center for Women Veterans to Host Southwest Regional Summit in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO / June 10 / BPALiveWire

— The Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Women Veterans will host the Southwest Regional Summit in July as part of a national push to enroll more than 1 million women veterans in VA health care benefits and services.

The summit scheduled for July 24 and 25 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center will kick off the Women Veterans Enrollment Initiative titled Boots on the Ground for Boots on the Ground. Organizers aim to connect unaffiliated women veterans including returning citizens and transitioning service members with VA resources while re-engaging those already familiar with the system.

The VA and the Center for Women Veterans are dedicated to meeting women veterans where they live. Each of the five regions will host a summit providing opportunities for attendees to bring battle buddies, invite others and enroll on site.

Nationwide there are about 2.275 million women veterans. Roughly 1 million currently use VA services leaving an opportunity to enroll more than 1.3 million others. The vision is to enroll 1 million unaffiliated women veterans through the initiative to help them access health care benefits pre-need eligibility and additional support.

The Southwest event marks the first of five regional summits planned for 2026 across the Southwest Southeast Northeast Midwest and West regions. Support will come from the Veterans Health Administration Veterans Benefits Administration National Cemetery Administration and other offices. Organizers will mobilize CWV Trailblazers regional strategic partners influencers and state women veteran coordinators as additional boots on the ground.

Outreach efforts include an outreach blitz using women veteran podcasts, veterans service organizations, state coordinators influencers and announcement videos. Facilities were selected for familiarity, ease of access and comfort. The summits are designed as safe welcoming events to build trust and transparency.

The initiative emphasizes peer-to-peer outreach with regional women veterans identifying and encouraging others who trust them but remain unconnected to the VA. The Southwest summit has a July 2026 deadline with additional regional summits to follow as part of a nine- to 12-month rapid rollout and coordination with VA regional facilities for enrollment.

The Center for Women Veterans describes the summits as key to fostering trust, obtaining information and encouraging women veterans to choose VA for their needs. The effort also targets service members unfamiliar with VA offerings.

“At the Southwest Summit, you'll be assisted during the Claims Clinic to improve your claims benefits, seek support in the visiting mobile medical vans, write a sound resume, learn the correct way to fill out USAJobs.gov applications, learn about government contracts for your business, meet your strategic partners and be introduced to your community of sister veterans,” said Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd, Executive Director of the Center for Women Veterans. “I can't wait to see you there!”

Learn more and register at :https://whova.com/portal/registration/bIpBmx5GL4oTJcmYk45h/