Breast cancer is the leading cancer among women who serve in the military.

That is not a slogan. It is the highest incidence of any cancer among active-duty members from 2018 to 2022, reported by the Defense Health Agency and Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. For servicewomen ages 40 to 59, incidence runs 15% higher for White women and 17% higher for Black women compared with civilian peers, with most excess found at early, localized stages, per CDMRP 2025. The excess appears to reflect a military screening effect: women who serve get screened, and screening finds cancer. Georgia matters here. The state counts roughly 94,000 to 101,000 women veterans depending on the source, about 13% to 15% of all Georgia veterans versus about 10% nationally, and women are the fastest-growing veteran group in the state, per VA Data Hub, AJC and Georgia Department of Veterans Service data. And the disparity follows them home: in DeKalb County, where I Will Survive, Inc. is based, Black women die of breast cancer at 28.9 per 100,000 versus 16.5 for White women, per Cancer Causes & Control, 2014-2018. I Will Survive, Inc. is a veteran-led Atlanta 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting individuals at higher risk for or affected by breast cancer through financial assistance, prevention education, and wellness programs. Our Mobile Wellness Clinic is in development. This is education, not medical advice. Direct any screening or symptom questions to your care team or the VA. Reported for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in step with this week's blog on women veterans and breast cancer. #WomenVeterans #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #BreastCancerAwareness #KnowTheSigns #VeteransHealth