More than 100 women veterans traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to do something the military trained them well for: show up prepared and make their case. From September 21 to 24, Wounded Warrior Project's 2026 Women Warriors Summit brought veterans representing 48 states and every branch of service to Capitol Hill, where they met with more than 120 congressional offices to push for policy changes affecting women who served.
It was the Summit's biggest year yet. Participation has doubled since 2023, a reflection of a broader shift: women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, yet they continue to face gaps in specialized health care, support during the transition to civilian life, and financial stability that their male counterparts often don't encounter in the same way.
What They Asked For
The centerpiece of this year's advocacy push was support for the VOICE for Women Veterans Act, legislation that would strengthen research and data collection on women veterans. That may sound like a bureaucratic detail, but data gaps are exactly why women veterans have historically been underserved. Health systems, benefit programs, and even fitness and wellness initiatives are often built around data collected primarily from male veterans. Better data means better-targeted care and support down the line.
Beyond the meetings with lawmakers, participants went through advocacy and leadership training, building the skills to keep pushing on these issues long after they left Washington. The Summit is part of Wounded Warrior Project's Women Warriors Initiative, launched in 2020 specifically to understand and address the needs unique to this growing part of the veteran community.
Why This Matters Beyond Policy
Advocacy weeks like this one don't just move legislation, they build community. More than 100 women veterans spent four days shoulder to shoulder with peers who understand exactly what they've carried, many of them meeting fellow service members from their era or their MOS for the first time since separating. That kind of connection is protective. Veterans who stay linked to a community of people who "get it" consistently report better mental health outcomes than those who isolate after leaving the service.
That's a lesson that applies well beyond a week in D.C. Structured activities that bring veterans together, whether that's a congressional advocacy trip or a Saturday morning race, give people a reason to keep showing up for each other. Endurance events in particular have become a go-to tool for exactly this reason: they combine physical challenge, a support network, and forward momentum in a way that talk therapy alone sometimes can't replicate.
Where OWF Fits In
We built Operation WarriorFit around that same idea, that a finish line, like a seat at the table on Capitol Hill, can be the first step toward reclaiming purpose and rebuilding community after service. Women veterans training for their first 5K or triathlon face many of the same access barriers the Summit highlighted, including cost, time, and simply not knowing where to start. If you're a veteran, service member, or first responder looking for a free or discounted race entry to get moving, check your eligibility with OWF today.