In 2021, women made up 17.3 percent of the United States’ active-duty armed forces, totaling 231,741 service members, according to the Department of Defense. Brooke Jackson Kahn is one of them.
Kahn, a U.S. Army veteran, comes from a military family. “In my family, if you were a man, you were in the military and if you were a woman then you were a nurse.”
Kahn was the first person in her family to combine both vocations as an Army combat medic. When she moved to Charleston in 2019, she noticed a lack of female representation in military resources and had a burning desire to change that.
“I created She’s The Veteran to address the mental health needs of female veterans,” Kahn shared.
She’s The Veteran, a nonprofit available to all women veterans, offers comprehensive support services, activities, advocacy and research. It serves those in active duty, reserves, National Guard, prior service or retired.
Women veterans often experience multiple mental health challenges, including higher rates of PTSD, suicide and depression than their male counterparts, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Women veterans are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD.
She’s The Veteran provides one meeting and one activity per month for women veterans to learn, participate in fellowship and decompress. The organization now has more than 1,000 members and continues to grow.
South Carolina has 45,000 women veterans, not including active duty, reserve and the National Guard, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The demand is there and Kahn has rolled up her sleeves and developed a vision and a plan.
“We expanded into the Midlands. By fall, we want to have a presence in Hilton Head, Bluffton and Beaufort,” Kahn shared.
Khan’s five-year plan is to expand nationwide. The response has been great, beyond anything she ever anticipated. “I receive emails from women across this country, wanting us to come to their state or city.”
Additionally, Kahn and She’s The Veteran were presented with one of the American-Made Heroes grant funding awards distributed by Evan Williams bourbon earlier this year. Kahn was one of six U.S. veterans recognized for her dedication to making a difference in her local community and across the country, representing the only organization from the Southeast.
Evan Williams has introduced two distinct bottlings, each dedicated to the valor and stories of their American-Made Heroes. She’s the Veteran will be honored on limited-edition bottles of both Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch.
“With these unique editions, we aim to magnify our foundation’s mission: providing a platform for veteran stories like Brooke’s, raising awareness for issues they face and directly supporting the nonprofits that offer crucial help,” said Molly Vincent, senior brand manager at Evan Williams Bourbon. “As an American-made and American-owned brand, these releases symbolize the unwavering commitment to celebrating and aiding our nation’s heroes. She’s The Veteran has such a profound impact on women because it’s bridging the gap between the VA and their needs.”
The award came as a pleasant surprise to Kahn. “I personally didn’t apply for this award,” she explained. “It’s a true honor to be recognized. I didn’t expect it. I started this nonprofit for all the ladies who don’t have a support system as I do.”
For more information about She’s the Veteran, visit ShesTheVeteran.org.
By Maurice J. Frazier
I battled PTSD after 23 years in the military. And 7 combat tours in IRAQ. I found my solution for all the symptoms. Meds verged me out and counseling had little effect.
My solution was forgiving all my enemies over and over until I started praying for each of them. Finally I accepted Gods forgiveness’s after I repented. My PTSD was a spiritual ballle that I was powerless to control by myself.