What is War? Female Veterans' Experiences of Combat in Iraq and Afghanistan

Many female service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan report experiencing some level of combat. However, female veterans may perceive combat and threat differently than their male counterparts. A feminist analysis of semistructured interviews was used to examine female veterans’ (N = 12) definitions of and experiences with combat. Participants described combat in three themes—experiencing combat-related events, witnessing combat-related events, and feeling threatened. Veterans also described a flexible definition of ‘‘combat veteran,’’ comparing their experiences to others’ to determine their status. This study has implications for practice, research, and policy on veterans, including broadening the assessment of combat.