United States Secretary Of Defense

For years women have been trying to gain gender equality throughout the working world, along with in the military. Since the beginning of a uniformed military, women could not serve in military occupational specialty (MOS) positions that put them in direct combat roles. Although many women have contributed in significant ways, they have not been authorized to serve in MOS such as infantry, artillery, or armor. As the war on terrorism has developed since 9/11, women have slowly worked their way farther into the military and its many roles. This resulted in women being placed into direct combat roles. Though women have been allowed into many different roles, there is still one battle that they have yet to win and this time the majority is not backing them. Women are trying to gain access to United States Special Operations units in every branch of the military and the majority of these operators are not happy about it. While some people believe women deserve equality and the chance to do what men can do in the military, that is why women should not be

Thesis Statement: A few females are joining the military, and those taking leadership roles is even small, caused by existence of limited information about the Army and less combat roles, and this can be addressed by lifting ban on women on combat and creating more combat support jobs.

Women now make up 14 percent of the active-duty military in the United States, which is up from 1.6 percent, 25 years prior. (Christian Science Monitor, 1). In 1948, President Truman signed the Women 's Armed Services Integration Act which created the role of women in the military. This law meant that each branch of the service was allowed to have one female Colonel (Byfield, 12). As of 2015, there are many women who serve as Generals and Admirals. All of these roles are non-combative. Even though some women can do anything a man can do, the vast majority can not, therefore making it an unsafe idea to place these women into combat positions.

In 2014 the United States Army began opening Combat Military Occupational Specialties to women. This effort culminated in April of 2016 with the opening of the Infantry to women. The integration of women into combat roles in the force present difficult challenges to the Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) Army wide. These challenges include the potential increase in gender discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual assaults. NCOs will have to rely on their ability to implement the Core Leader Competencies (Leads, Develops and Achieves) to ensure the successful integration of women. The greatest challenge will be in developing cohesive teams while ensuring the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program is

The Secretary of Defense and The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in January of 2013 the rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule (DGCDAR). The DGCDAR restricted assignments of women to communities or jobs within the military in or collocated with direct ground combat units below the brigade level, in long-range reconnaissance and special operations forces, and in positions involving physically demanding tasks. This now correlates to the opening of previously closed occupations, to include the USMC infantry, to women who can meet occupation-specific, gender-neutral standards of performance. 230,000 positions that were previously unavailable in the U.S. armed forces to women are now available. From active-duty, to veterans, to civilians alike, one thing we’ve heard is the reluctance of many to publicly oppose the idea. This reluctance stems from a fear of being tarred-and-feathered “politically incorrect," a term apparently as morally reprehensible as crime nowadays.

This paper will discuss the U.S. Army’s decision to allow women into combat Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), specifically into MOS 12B known as a Combat Engineer which for years has been closed to women. I will speak briefly on the history of and mindset of the Army and how it has pretty much forced the women that currently serve to prove themselves. We will also discuss the certification process from Basic Combat Training (BCT), AIT (Advanced Individual Training), and Combat Engineer Advanced Leaders Course (ALC). This paper will also examine the specialized programs soldiers must receive such as Sexual

In January of 2013, the Department of Defense set aside the “1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule” (Carter, 2015). This takes all restrictions off women allowing all who meet the qualifications to hold a combat role in the military. The Armed Forces have opened over 110,000 positions to women and have set their standards. Anyone, who can meet operationally relevant and gender neutral standards, regardless of gender, should have the opportunity to serve in any position (Carter, 2015). The Military Services and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) were directed to implement this new change in policy by January 1, 2016 or submit an exception to this policy if they

Gender equality and stereotypes have been a huge issue and everyday struggle for women in combat for centuries. Women in the military, often times deal with pressure and discrimination to work extra hard in order for their skills to be considered or be as equal as the male soldiers. However, the roles of females have rapidly evolved and have outperformed men many times in the military. Females have the choice just as men to serve their country and should not be held back for wanting to risk their lives in the frontlines. Women have fought and proved to be an important asset in the battlefield, by not only having strong critical mind skills, but also strong fighters and can possess skillful weaponry abilities as men.

In this paper I will present my position about women working in Special Forces (green berets). I will mention other countries that have women in combat positions or units. I will explain the job involvement of Special Forces, the training and qualifications required, and the job demands, both physical and mental when in a combat unit. Base on what I had seen and been true in my 22 years in the military I’ll have to disagree with women been in Special Forces or any combat unit for that matter. In today’s 21st century, women have

     Women have played a tremendous role in many countries' armed forces from the past to the present. Women have thoroughly integrated into the armed forces; all positions in the armed forces should be fully accessible to women who can compete with men intellectually and physically.

When it comes to combat assignments and the needs of the military, men take precedence over all other considerations, including career prospects of female service members. Female military members have been encouraged to pursue opportunities and career enhancement within the armed forces, which limit them only to the needs and good of the service due to women being not as “similarly situated” as their male counterparts when it comes to strength or aggressiveness, and are not able to handle combat situations.

Women have been participating in the United States military since the Revolutionary War, where they were nurses, maids, cooks and even spies. They played vital roles in order to keep those fighting on the front lines healthier, and even a more important role in keeping commanding officers informed with private information stolen from the other side. Although the Revolutionary War took play in 1776, the first law to be passed that permanently stated that women have an official place in the military was in 1948, almost one hundred and seventy-two years later. Since that time there has been a lack of true growth when it comes to integration of females in the military. In 1994, a law was passed that tried to prohibit women from being assigned to ground combat units below the brigade level. Women are excluded from more then 25% of active combat roles within the military and only in 2013 was the ban lifted which was the final barrier to allowing women into all active roles. This has been a huge step in the direction for women being considered as being equal but there are still challenges that women face within the military. Ranging from sexual assault, discrimination, bullying, and other tactics, it is clear that for many, the military is still a “boys club.”

After years of discussion and debate it appears that soon women will be sent into combat operations in the United States military. This is the way it should be because women are ready and competent to be put into combat roles in the U.S. military. Indeed, slowly but surely, the Defense Department and Congress have been inching towards a decision that will formalize the policy; in fact the National Defense Authorization Act, put before Congress in May, 2012 by U.S. Senators John McCain and Carl Levin will in effect order the military "…to come up with a plan to send women into battle" (McAuliff, 2012). Hopes are high that this will be approved by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama.

I realized that although in theory women in the armed forces seemed like a good idea, there are many obstacles that make that reality very difficult to achieve. In writing this paper I am not proposing that either position is more valid or right than the other. I only hope to present each side in an equal light to help others to understand the issues involved.

Women have fought alongside men in the United States Military in every major battle since the American Revolution. The roles of women in the military have evolved over time to allow the incorporation of women in expanding military career fields. Women have proven themselves to be an asset to the military despite some of society believing women would weaken America’s military effectiveness. Today more than 200,000 women are active-duty military, this is about 14.5% of all military. Currently, women are involved in all branches of the Armed Forces; there are around 74,000 women in the Army, 62,000 in the Air Force, 53,000 in the Navy, and 14,000 in the Marine Corps (By the numbers: Women in the U.S. Military). Military women continue to