A Brief History of Women in the Military

No official role in the military

Worked as cooks, seamstresses, caregivers, nurses, and launderers

Some disguised themselves as men and fought in battle

Some acted as spies, saboteurs, and couriers

Nursing Corps formed as an auxiliary to the Army (1901) and Navy (1908).

34,000 women served as nurses in all armed forces in WWI.

No military rank. No military benefits.

Women given full military status Navy WAVES (1942) Army WAC (1943) Airforce WASPS Marine Corps

Women’s Reserve Coast Guard Women’s

Reserve

Nurses, secretaries, telephone operators

350,000 women served in the military representing 2% of the total force

Women became permanent members of the Regular and Reserve forces (1948)

Roles increased due to changes in society and the needs of the military

Nurses, clerical/administrative, communications, personnel, finance, data processing, intelligence

Initially 1% of the military force

First women generals and admirals

All Volunteer Force (end of the draft)

Title 9 – girls active in school sports

Service academies opened to women (1976)

Women integrated fully into military branches of services

Women entered Airborne Training

Combat Exclusion Policy

Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada

Operation Just Cause - Panama

Transportation, helicopter pilots, missiles, supply, medics, and more

40,000 women Greater acceptance

of women in expanded roles

Serving on Navy ships, and as combat pilots, truck drivers, Marine search teams

180,000 women in the war zone

Repeated deployments

Women’s role in the military is evolving and expanding

Women represent 15% of active force, 23% of reserves

Women as a percentage of the veteran population is growing (2.5% in 1970 to 8% in 2010)

Average female veteran is 46 compared to the average male veteran at 60.

“Combat exclusion” no longer an option