She served her country. At 75 years old, her benefits were taken away.

An Interview That Stops You Cold

There are interviews that inspire you, interviews that energize you, and then there are interviews that stop you cold — the kind that sit with you long after the recording ends. My conversation with Naomi Reynolds falls squarely into that last category. Naomi is a U.S. Army veteran, an author, and a tireless advocate for women veterans. She is also a survivor of military sexual assault, a single mother, and at 75 years old, someone who is once again being forced to fight — not on a battlefield, but for basic survival.

Why This Episode of Living Ageless and Bold Matters

This episode of Living Ageless and Bold is not an easy listen, but it is an essential one. Naomi’s story is heartbreaking, but it is also representative of a much larger and deeply troubling reality. How we treat our veterans — especially women veterans — after their service ends reveals far more about our values than any ceremonial gesture ever could.

What Happens After the Uniform Comes Off

As a country, we like to say we support our troops. We post tributes on holidays, we thank veterans for their service, and we offer applause and appreciation. But for too many veterans, especially women, that support fades the moment the uniform comes off. What follows instead is silence, bureaucracy, and neglect. Naomi shared during our conversation that many veterans are effectively discarded when they return home, left to navigate fragmented healthcare systems, inconsistent mental health services, and compensation decisions that can change without warning or explanation.

When Motherhood Ended a Military Career

For women who served decades ago, the challenges are even more complex. Naomi served during the Vietnam-era military, a time when women were not allowed to have children and remain in service. If a woman became pregnant, she was forced out. That policy alone is difficult to comprehend today, yet it was reality for thousands of women. Many were pressured to choose between their careers and motherhood. Naomi chose motherhood and paid for that decision with her career.

What makes this even more devastating is that when policies eventually changed, many of these women were never informed. There was no outreach, no reinstatement process, and no effort to repair the damage done. Decades later, these women are still living with the consequences of decisions made by a system that failed them.

Military Sexual Trauma and the Cost of Silence

One of the most difficult parts of Naomi’s story — and one of the most important — is her openness about being sexually assaulted while serving in the military. The assault resulted in her pregnancy. She chose to keep her child and was forced out of the Army. Naomi speaks about this trauma not for shock value, but because silence helps no one. Military sexual trauma is far more prevalent than many people realize, and for years it was ignored, minimized, or buried. For Naomi and countless others, the trauma did not end when their service ended. It followed them into civilian life, affecting their mental health, relationships, employment, and overall stability.

Building a Life After Trauma

What struck me deeply during our conversation is that Naomi did not immediately fall apart. She built a life. She raised her daughter on her own. She worked in the oil industry, owned businesses, and remained self-sufficient for years. But trauma has a way of resurfacing, and over time, the cumulative weight of untreated mental health struggles became overwhelming. Eventually, Naomi found herself homeless — something she never imagined would happen to her.

When Compensation Becomes Survival

It was only decades after her assault that Naomi was finally awarded 100 percent disability compensation. That compensation was not a handout. It was acknowledgment. It was validation. It was a lifeline. It allowed her to stabilize her life and begin healing after years of carrying trauma alone.

Today, at 75 years old, that lifeline is being taken away. Naomi explained that veterans who had been receiving full compensation for a certain period were suddenly informed they were in jeopardy of losing it. Many received little to no explanation, and some never saw the notices at all. For Naomi, the reduction is not theoretical. It means questioning whether she can pay her mortgage, managing heightened mental health risks, and reliving instability she has already survived. At 75, being told to find another way to survive is not only unrealistic — it is cruel.

The Mental Health Toll Veterans Carry

One of the bravest moments in this episode is Naomi’s openness about living with suicidal ideation. She speaks candidly about the triggers that can lead her into crisis — holidays, isolation, financial stress — and about the fragile safety nets meant to help veterans in those moments. Long waits for therapists, rotating providers, and overburdened crisis lines leave many veterans trying to manage immense trauma with limited support. When financial instability is added to that equation, the risk becomes even greater.

Why Women Veterans Are Disproportionately Impacted

Women veterans face unique and often compounded challenges. They experience higher rates of military sexual trauma, delayed recognition of service-related injuries, and fewer tailored healthcare resources. Many older women veterans do not even know they are eligible for help. They are not active on social media, not plugged into modern communication channels, and often not informed when policies change. When compensation is reduced or benefits are altered, they are frequently the last to know — if they are notified at all.

A Broken System With Real Consequences

Naomi also shed light on the deeply flawed compensation and claims system within the VA. Reports continue to highlight software errors, delayed claims, and improper denials. Most alarming is the practice of reducing compensation first and allowing veterans to appeal later. That gap can be financially and emotionally catastrophic, especially for those already vulnerable.

Advocacy at 75: Fighting for Herself and Others

Despite everything she is facing, Naomi has not stopped advocating — not just for herself, but for others. She is actively appealing her case, working with legislators on proposed laws to restore justice for women veterans, and helping other women understand how to file claims and access resources. She is doing all of this while managing her own health challenges, a level of resilience that is both humbling and inspiring.

Why Awareness and Accountability Matter

It would be easy to hear Naomi’s story and feel helpless, but awareness matters. Sharing stories like hers matters. Accountability begins with attention. If we claim to value service, then support cannot be conditional. It cannot expire. And it cannot disappear when someone becomes inconvenient or expensive. Veterans should not have to fight alone — especially not at 75.

Why I Chose to Share Naomi’s Story

This is exactly why Living Ageless and Bold exists. Aging does not make people invisible. Older women have stories that matter. Courage does not end at midlife. And using a platform responsibly means shining a light on injustice when it appears. Naomi trusted me with her story, and I take that responsibility seriously.

How You Can Help

If this story moved you, there are meaningful ways to help. Listen to the full episode. Share it with someone who needs to hear it. Talk about it publicly. Pay attention to how veterans are treated beyond symbolic gestures. Change begins with attention.

Naomi Reynolds served her country. She survived trauma. She raised a family. She rebuilt her life. And at 75, she is still fighting — not because she wants to, but because she has to. This should not be her burden. And if enough of us care, it doesn’t have to be.

Watch her full episode here: