More than 100 women warriors gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol for Wounded Warrior Project’s 2026 Women Warriors Summit. (Photo by Leigh Vogel)
Washington, DC. (Sept. 24, 2026) – More than 100 women warriors from across the country gathered in Washington, DC, Sept. 21-24, for Wounded Warrior Project’s® (WWP) 2026 Women Warriors Summit, meeting with more than 120 congressional offices to advocate for policies impacting women veterans.
Women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, yet many continue to face barriers to accessing specialized health care, support during the transition to civilian life, financial stability, and other critical services. During the Summit, participants met directly with lawmakers and congressional staff to advocate for:
- The VOICE for Women Veterans Act, which would strengthen research and data collection on women veterans to help improve health outcomes and inform future policy decisions.
- The Mammography Access for Veterans Act, which would expand access to and strengthen mammography services throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Provisions within the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, which would strengthen support for military sexual trauma (MST) survivors, veteran mothers, and women experiencing midlife health challenges.
“The Summit was an amazing experience that allowed women veterans the opportunity to share their stories and make a personal connection to members of Congress and staff,” said Ashley Trevino, a Warrior Advocate Leader from Arkansas. “It’s so inspiring to be able to work together with other women warriors to create solutions to the problems and issues that women veterans face on a daily basis. Advocacy is a great way to give back to the veteran community.”
“Women veterans bring valuable perspectives shaped by their service and lived experiences, and those perspectives should be at the center of the policies that affect them,” said Jen Silva, Chief Program Officer for WWP®. “The Women Warriors Summit gives veterans the opportunity to make their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them. By engaging directly with policymakers, participants are helping drive meaningful change for women veterans across the country while building the skills, relationships, and momentum to continue advocating in their communities long after the summit ends.”
The 2026 Women Warriors Summit marked a record year, with participation doubling since 2023. Women warriors representing 48 states and every branch of the U.S. military attended, demonstrating the growing engagement and leadership of women veterans.
The Women Warriors Summit is part of WWP’s Women Warriors Initiative, launched in 2020 to better understand and address the evolving needs of women veterans. In addition to engaging with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, participants received advocacy and leadership training, gained deeper insight into veteran policy issues, and developed skills to continue advocating.