River Region Veterans Coalition RRVC

by Sandee Rodriguez | Apr 30, 2025 | Invisible Warriors

River Region Veterans Coalition (RRVC)

Recently, Invisible Warriors was pleased to be included in the formation of a new organization serving veterans in Alabama called River Region Veterans Coalition (RRVC). We believe that collaborating with other organizations serving veterans, especially women, is the best way to ensure their needs are met. We plan to continue to stay involved with RRVC and align with more organizations in the future so as to be a hub of information and resources for military women, both active duty and veterans.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A diverse group of existing organizations have partnered to form a new “River Region Veterans Coalition (RRVC).” The goal was to form a regional non-profit/apolitical coalition of public and private sector organizations that serve military veterans in the greater Montgomery region, similar to longstanding groups in the regions around Mobile (the South Alabama Veterans Council, SAVC), Birmingham (the Central Alabama Veterans Collaborative, CAVC) and Huntsville (the North Alabama Veterans & Fraternal Organizations Coalition, NAVFOC). All three of those previously-existing regional veterans partnerships have been very helpful in establishing the new RRVC organization.

RRVC has already held meetings in February and March of this year, with local posts/chapters of such veteran service organizations as the Air & Space Forces Association, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, the Marine Corps League, the Military Officers Association of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Vietnam Veterans of America in attendance. In addition, government agencies such as the Alabama National Guard and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have participated, as well as such private sector organizations as Bondfire Ranch, the Council on Substance Abuse, Invisible Warriors, Medicare Salute, Operation Iron Ruck, American Red Cross, Sage Health, Veterans Education Training & Support, and the Wounded Warrior Project.

View the full article HERE.

River Region Veterans Coalition RRVC

Invisible Warriors

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Come to the Table with Dr. Pam Arnell

by Sandee Rodriguez | Apr 2, 2025 | Events, Invisible Warriors

Come to the Table with Dr. Pam Arnell

You are warmly invited to join our quarterly event, Come to the Table, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 12:00 ET/11:00 CT. All women are welcome to attend this live event.

Special guests present on a topic of interest followed by related questions and discussions. Our aim is provide a sense of not being alone. At Come to the Table, we talk about all things life, but in a kind and uplifting way – never moaning or groaning.

The Power of Peer Support and Resources

This month we have as our special guest, Dr. Pam Arnell, President/CEO of 22Zero, a nonprofit peer-to-peer program to heal emotional and mental scars using Trauma Resiliency Protocol and Emotional Management Process. Learn more here: https://22zero.org/

Dr. Arnell was appointed President/CEO of 22Zero on February 27, 2025, after two impactful years as Executive Director. Under her leadership, 22Zero has become a vital resource for women veterans grappling with Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) and Military Sexual Trauma (MST).

With a strong foundation in research, Dr. Arnell has cultivated partnerships, notably with Arizona State University, leading to the publication of one study in 2024 and two more currently under peer review, including her co-authored work. In 2025, she will contribute to an additional study, further validating evidence-based practices at 22Zero.

Dr. Arnell has launched the 22Zero Ambassador program and the “Heroes Untold Stories” initiative, both aimed at expanding 22Zero’s mission. Her role encompasses strategic vision, overseeing operations, and fostering relationships with stakeholders to ensure compliance and promote a culture of transparency and collaboration.

An active advocate for mental health and suicide prevention, Dr. Arnell chairs the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network Committee and has completed various suicide prevention trainings. Her dedication extends beyond 22Zero, as she engages with community organizations and holds leadership roles in multiple local initiatives.

Through her commitment and expertise, Dr. Arnell continues to empower women veterans and drive meaningful change within the community.

Join Us!

Mark your calendars now, and on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 12:00 pm ET/11:00 am CT, click this Zoom link to join what is sure to be an insightful conversation!

Come to the Table with Dr. Pam Arnell

Invisible Warriors

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The Unseen Revolution of Women in the Military

by Sandee Rodriguez | Feb 24, 2025 | Invisible Warriors

How Women Are Quietly Rewriting the Rules of Military Excellence

We often celebrate the trailblazing women in the military who’ve shattered barriers—but what about the reverse impact? What happens when a system built on rigid traditions collides with perspectives that challenge its very DNA? The answer is a quiet revolution reshaping everything from battlefield strategy to how teams survive under pressure.

Here’s what nobody’s talking about: The presence of women in the military hasn’t just opened doors—it’s reprogrammed military culture itself.

Take leadership. For decades, command structures prioritized hierarchy and top-down directives. But studies of mixed-gender units, like those in NATO’s recent trials, found that teams with women leaders were 30% more likely to use collaborative decision-making under fire. Why? Women often default to consensus-building in high-stress scenarios, leading to faster problem-solving when stakes are life-or-death.

Or consider communication. In the 1990s, U.S. Army units with female medics reported a 22% drop in “friendly fire” incidents. Why? Women were more likely to clarify ambiguous orders in real-time, reducing lethal misunderstandings. Today, this skill is formalized in training programs like “Active Listening Drills”—a practice borrowed from female soldiers’ instinctive approach to dialogue.

Even physical training is evolving. When Norway integrated women into Special Forces, they scrapped brute-strength tests for endurance-based challenges (e.g., 12-mile hikes with 90lb packs). The result? Injury rates dropped by 40% across all recruits—proving that redefining “strength” wasn’t about lowering standards, but smarter ones.

But here’s the twist: The military is changing women, too. Female veterans consistently rank higher in post-service leadership roles compared to civilian peers. Why? Surviving hyper-structured, high-risk environments teaches a unique form of resilience—one that’s now fueling Fortune 500 boards and startups alike.

So, next time someone reduces military women to “breaking barriers,” remind them: This isn’t just about equality; it’s about reengineering excellence.

Question to ponder: If a woman’s instinct to ask “Why?” instead of saying “Yes, sir” can save lives in combat, what could it do for your team’s next crisis?

The Unseen Revolution of Women in the Military

Invisible Warriors

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Silent Battlefields of Military Sexual Trauma

by Sandee Rodriguez | Feb 22, 2025 | Invisible Warriors

Silent Battlefields of Military Sexual Trauma

The Unseen Crisis and the Urgent Need for Change

The statistics are not just numbers—they are a chilling indictment of a systemic failure for those suffering military sexual trauma.

According to the Grunt Style Foundation, reports of sexual assault in the military surged from 1,700 in 2004 to 8,515 in 2023, despite the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program (SAPR) being touted as the military’s “central authority” for combating this epidemic. These figures, however, reveal only the tip of the iceberg. The Department of Defense estimates 29,000 service members were sexually assaulted in 2023 alone. A 2024 study further suggests the true scale is far worse, with sexual violence occurring at rates two to four times higher than documented—potentially reaching the high five figures.

The Illusion of Progress

While rising reports may signal a culture shifting toward accountability, they also expose a darker truth: survivors are navigating a labyrinth of institutional betrayal. For every brave individual who comes forward, countless others remain silent, paralyzed by rational fear. Retaliation is not a hypothetical risk—it is a documented reality. In 2018, over half of military women who reported assaults faced ostracism, 34% endured maltreatment, and 23% suffered professional reprisal. These are not isolated acts of cruelty; they are systemic tools of suppression. Survivors, whether women or men (who comprise a smaller but significant percentage of victims), are forced to weigh their safety against justice, knowing the system designed to protect them may instead compound their military sexual trauma.

A Culture of Complicity

The military’s reliance on hierarchical structures and unit cohesion, while vital to operational success, has inadvertently fostered environments where predators operate with impunity. Perpetrators often hold positions of authority, and survivors face an impossible choice: report and risk career sabotage, or suffer in silence to preserve their livelihoods. This toxic dynamic perpetuates cycles of abuse, eroding trust in leadership and destabilizing the very foundation of military readiness.

The Collapse of Accountability

The recent decision by the Marine Corps and Navy to temporarily halt SAPR—a program already criticized for its inefficacy—is a catastrophic misstep. It sends a message that combating sexual violence is optional, a secondary priority rather than a moral imperative. If institutions tasked with safeguarding service members cannot uphold their duty, the burden of accountability falls to society itself.

A Call to Arms

To dismiss this crisis as a “military issue” is to abandon the men and women who pledge their lives to defend our freedoms. Their battlefields should not include their own ranks. We demand three actions:

Transparency: Independent oversight of military justice systems to eliminate conflicts of interest.
Protection: Legislation shielding survivors from retaliation, ensuring whistleblower safeguards.
Cultural Reform: Mandatory training dismantling toxic power dynamics, led by trauma-informed experts.

The time for passive outrage is over. These numbers represent human beings—colleagues, siblings, parents, friends—whose military sexual trauma has been minimized and weaponized against them. Silence is complicity. We must amplify their voices, hold institutions accountable, and declare unequivocally: the era of impunity ends now.

Stand with survivors. Demand change. The cost of inaction is measured in lives.

Silent Battlefields of Military Sexual Trauma

Invisible Warriors

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Military Women Meetups Huntsville

by Sandee Rodriguez | Dec 18, 2024 | Events

Military Women Meetups Huntsville

Beginning January 13, 2025, Invisible Warriors began holding in-person meetups in the greater Huntsville area for military women. These meetups are an opportunity for military women in the greater Huntsville area to meet each other and just talk. It can be hard to walk this path alone. Being able to come together to share stories, build camaraderie, offer support, and encourage each other can make the journey less lonely.

The meetups are being held in a private room at 11:00 am at the Clayton E Moneymaker American Legion Post 237 which is located at 2900 Drake Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama 35805 (at the corner of Chasewood Dr. and Drake Ave). Enter from the back of the building for privacy. There is no cost for this meetup although food and drink are available for purchase from the American Legion.

These military women meetups will be monthly and facilitated by a kind and caring woman. The first meeting was planned to be an hour but the conversation was so good, it stretched into two hours! One valuable piece of feedback came out of the meeting – we need a virtual way to attend, too, so starting in February, the meetups will offer the option to attend by Zoom. CLICK HERE to send us a message asking for the Zoom info.

Military Women Meetups Huntsville

Invisible Warriors

Want to know more about Invisible Warriors? Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates. Contact us HERE. Or click the button below to schedule a meeting with Founder Nancy Becher!