SUMMING IT UP

• On the whole, the U.S. military has been ahead of the civilian world in promoting gender equality, and has been a leader in creating equal pay and job opportunities for women.
• Today, women make up 14.3 percent of all active-duty officers. In addition, more than 4,900 women serve on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard (which is part of the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime; in wartime it reports to the Department of the Navy).
• U.S. service academies have been open to women since 1975, when President Gerald Ford signed Public Law 94-106. In addition, other military commissioning pathways are now available to women, and the opportunities for women in the military are now practically equal to those of their male counterparts.
• Becoming a military officer as a single parent is difficult, and in most cases it requires a waiver. The single parent who is interested in becoming an officer must agree to temporarily relinquish custody of his or her children—usually to an immediate family member, who then returns custody to the parent when he or she finishes training.
• Several military jobs remain restricted to men only. Special Forces units are comprised entirely of men, as are the crews of all Navy submarines and Army tanks. Yet the numbers of women in positions once thought of as “male only” have increased over the years. Women now fly combat aircraft, and they serve in combat units that have direct contact with opposing forces.
• The military has always been closely watched for allegations of sexual harassment or abuse, and its members are understandably held to higher standards than civilians. The U.S. Armed Forces claims zero tolerance for sexual abuse or harassment. Proven cases of assault or harassment can and do end the careers of military servicepeople.
• The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) is composed of committee members who have been appointed by the Secretary of Defense to provide advice on the recruitment and retention, treatment, employment, integration, and well-being of qualified professional women in the U.S. Armed Forces. In 2002, DACOWITS underwent major changes; its duties now include providing advice on family issues related to recruitment and retention of qualified professional military women.
• For more advice on female officers in the military, check out the resources listed at the end of this chapter.