According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the current projected percentage of veterans who are women is 10 percent. That number rises to almost 12 percent when looking at just the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Either way, the percentages have more than doubled since 1990, when only four percent of veterans were female.

This demographic is not only growing, but presents new challenges for the VA and many veteran support organizations since there are often young children involved as well.

Ginger Miller, a Navy veteran and a military spouse, was ready to meet that challenge. Helping veterans in need is particularly close to Miller's own history. After being medically discharged from the Navy, she and her husband, who had left the Marine Corps and was suffering from undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder, fell on hard times and struggled for many years to survive and protect their children. The experience left her humbled and inspired.

"I was part of another nonprofit (John 14:2, Incorporated) but I wasn't satisfied, I felt I was still missing the mark," she explained. "Then I looked in the mirror and realized I wanted to focus on female veterans."

So in June 2011, Miller created Women Veterans Interactive (WVI) as a way to support female veterans in a new way. The organization's mission, "Supporting Women Veterans through Advocacy, Empowerment, Interaction, Outreach and Unification" is supported by a talented team of women veterans and military spouses and overseen by Miller, who functions as the CEO.

In March, Miller was recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House as a "Champion of Change" within the category of women veterans, which included 13 other notable veterans who have all served in uniform and then gone on to demonstrate leadership on local and national levels.

From small, meaningful events like the WVI's Christmas lunch, which affords 15 female veterans living in transitional housing a special day complete with makeovers, gifts and resources, to bigger virtual drives, like the current one to collect funds to feed veteran families at the holidays, Miller is dedicated to community outreach.

"You can have all of the programs and good intentions in the world, but without outreach you're not able to help enough people," she said.

In fact, since the inception of WVI, the nonprofit has supported more than 850 women veterans through its outreach and support services.

Currently, WVI has members in 14 different states but Miller intends to grow that membership to all 50 states. Membership costs $35 on an annual basis. Additionally, WVI is always fundraising and its latest initiative is to establish housing specifically intended for homeless female veterans and their families.

"We are also starting to encourage satellite chapters," Miller explained. "When you have a blueprint it's easier to extend the WVI model and we want to spread this to every female veteran in need."

For information on forming a chapter in the Joint Base Lewis-McChord area, send an email to info@womenveteransinteractive.org. To get involved from afar and keep up with WVI, like them at facebook.com/womenveteransinteractive or become a member through womenveteransinteractive.org.

"I am the example. I want to remind all veterans to never ever give up hope. If you get up tomorrow morning that means you have another day to get it right," Miller concluded.