A History Of Women's Roles In The United States Military
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLES 1
The History of Women’s Roles in the United States Military ITT Technical Institute
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLES 2
Abstract
Women’s contributions in the United States military began with tasks, such as providing medical aid to soldiers during the Revolutionary War to serving right beside their male counterparts in Afghanistan 238 years later. The woman’s role over this period of time has made significant progress towards being men and women being a true, but still to this current day, women are not allowed entry into front-line combat units.
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 3 Since the implementation of the United States military in 1775, women have played an important role in support of the Armed Forces. …show more content…
In the early years, women performed what many would call simple tasks, such as providing medical aide, preparing meals, and even sewing and washing uniforms. As times changed, we now find women serving on the front lines in many different job specialties in support of the warfighter. In the Revolutionary War, the most common support from women was cooking, cleaning, and medical aide, but there were a small number of women who acted as spies did which alerted our military commands to the positions of the enemy (Early History of Women in the U.S. Army). Since the technologies of today did not yet exist, having this sort of intelligence played a critical part of our success in winning this war. There was even one woman, Ann Simpson Davis, who was hand selected by General George Washington to carry messages while on horseback to other leaders on the battlefield. She would hide these messages in bags filled with grain. She was never caught while performing these tasks. For her endeavors, she was later awarded an accommodation from the General. The Civil War brought to us the” Daughters of the Regiment” as named by the soldiers on the battlefield (Early History of Women in the U.S. Army). These ladies served the soldiers in a more advanced role of nursing. The women began to display more of a voice as they were often rallying or motivating the men to join the fight. Based on lessons learned from the Revolutionary War, women were used in a larger capacity as spies and espionage agents. Harriet Tubman organized a group of freed slaves, who made numerous trips by boat through rivers,
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 4 swamps, and marshes in an attempt to gain intelligence on the Confederate Army’s movement and troop’s strengths. All in all, this sort of intelligence was one of the keys to the Union’s victory in a war that resulting in 620,000 casualties. With the support given by all the women on the battlefield, the soldiers nicknamed these great women “Guardian Angels”. World War I resulted in over four million men serving in the military with nearly sixty percent deployed with the actual warfighter. With this many men now on active duty, women began replacing the men in the workforce. The technology advances of this time period meant that all of the items associated with war (weapons, ammunition, aircraft parts etc.) still needed to be produced. With this amount of men now off to war, twenty percent of the workforce were women. Women also began dominating jobs, such as office workers and telephone operators. The Navy and Marine Corps were the first to begin soliciting women to fill basic operational tasks in order to free up men for combat purposes. The Army also used women in roles like phone operators and other signal related jobs. As the acceptance of women into these roles was beginning to be accepted by all, women were being used overseas in roles, such as nursing and clerical specialties putting them closer to the war. Over 35,000 women served in support of this war (DefenseLink Feature: Women 's History Month). World War II saw an increasing number of women serving in the military.
As the result of the woman’s successes in World War I, women were eager to come on board in support of the nation’s warfighter. For jobs that were once contracted out or done for free, women were now in uniform. 60,000 nurses served in all branches. The Women’s Army Corps was established with over 150,000 recruits. Women were now pilots flying domestic missions required for
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLES 5 the warfighter. Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) was accepted and implemented in the Navy. As the war ended, women were on the most part released from the military that was once made up by all men, but this ultimately ended up with opening government legislation that would allow women in the military with equal ranks and privilege during peace and war (Women in U.S.Navy, WAVES, World War
II). It is estimated that 11,000 women served in the Vietnam War with 90 percent of their positions support being nurses (Women in the Vietnam War? History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts). Women did indeed serve in other positions, such as air traffic controllers, clerks, and military intelligence. Women were now wearing the same rank as the men but still were restricted to support type occupational skills.
Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm saw approximately 40,000 women deployed to South West Asia (Women In Military Service For America Memorial). This made up seven percent of the deployed forces on ground. Women did not serve in direct combat style units but were subjected to enemy contact during troop movement or by missile attacks. Five Army women were killed in action and 21 wounded in action. Two women were taken as Prisoners of War (POW). All casualties were the result of indirect causes, such as Scud missile attacks, helicopter crash, or mines. Women shared the same living conditions as the male service members. They all carried weapons. The women were equal but at the same time, were not yet as equal as the front line soldiers.
In 1994, the Clinton administration approved policy stating women could be assigned to all positions in which they were qualified for but were exempt from direct assignment to a unit
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 6 that’s mission was front line operations or direct combat. This ultimately opened the door to a higher percentile of the woman’s presence in the military. Since 2002, the United States Military has been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with forces deployed in Africa and Afghanistan. Approximately twenty percent of the deployed forces are made up of women in many positions but they are still not yet allowed assignment to front line units. Over 150 women have died in this Operation. In July of 2013, the officials of all branches of the military told Congress they could open all positions to women in 2016 (U.S. Military Vows to Put Women in Combat Roles by 2016 – Bloomberg). The current military standard for physical fitness is much more intense for the male soldier than female soldier which means the standards for women will ultimately have to increase in order to ensure training standards for these highly intense job specialties do not decline. With the implementation of female service members on the front lines will be the public’s view of having our daughters, mothers and wives on the front lines of combat which is sure to bring nationwide attention. Women have been a great part of the success of the military throughout our nation’s history. What some may consider simple task of support are of great importance to the soldier carrying the gun. From cooking, sewing, and providing medical aid to the troops on the battlefield, we are are now in the planning stages of placing these ladies on the battlefield where they will soon be side by side with their male counterparts where and be within a few feet of the enemy.
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 7
References
DefenseLink Feature: Women 's History Month. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2008/0308_womenshistory/
Early History of Women in the U.S. Army. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.army.mil/women/history.html
U.S. Military Vows to Put Women in Combat Roles by 2016 - Bloomberg. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-24/u-s-military-vows-to-put-women-in-combat-roles-by-2016.html
Women In Military Service For America Memorial. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.womensmemorial.org/Education/timeline.html
Women in the Vietnam War ? History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-vietnam-war
Women in U.S.Navy, WAVES, World War II. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq48-3f.htm
The History of Women’s Roles in the United States Military ITT Technical Institute
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLES 2
Abstract
Women’s contributions in the United States military began with tasks, such as providing medical aid to soldiers during the Revolutionary War to serving right beside their male counterparts in Afghanistan 238 years later. The woman’s role over this period of time has made significant progress towards being men and women being a true, but still to this current day, women are not allowed entry into front-line combat units.
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 3 Since the implementation of the United States military in 1775, women have played an important role in support of the Armed Forces. …show more content…
In the early years, women performed what many would call simple tasks, such as providing medical aide, preparing meals, and even sewing and washing uniforms. As times changed, we now find women serving on the front lines in many different job specialties in support of the warfighter. In the Revolutionary War, the most common support from women was cooking, cleaning, and medical aide, but there were a small number of women who acted as spies did which alerted our military commands to the positions of the enemy (Early History of Women in the U.S. Army). Since the technologies of today did not yet exist, having this sort of intelligence played a critical part of our success in winning this war. There was even one woman, Ann Simpson Davis, who was hand selected by General George Washington to carry messages while on horseback to other leaders on the battlefield. She would hide these messages in bags filled with grain. She was never caught while performing these tasks. For her endeavors, she was later awarded an accommodation from the General. The Civil War brought to us the” Daughters of the Regiment” as named by the soldiers on the battlefield (Early History of Women in the U.S. Army). These ladies served the soldiers in a more advanced role of nursing. The women began to display more of a voice as they were often rallying or motivating the men to join the fight. Based on lessons learned from the Revolutionary War, women were used in a larger capacity as spies and espionage agents. Harriet Tubman organized a group of freed slaves, who made numerous trips by boat through rivers,
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 4 swamps, and marshes in an attempt to gain intelligence on the Confederate Army’s movement and troop’s strengths. All in all, this sort of intelligence was one of the keys to the Union’s victory in a war that resulting in 620,000 casualties. With the support given by all the women on the battlefield, the soldiers nicknamed these great women “Guardian Angels”. World War I resulted in over four million men serving in the military with nearly sixty percent deployed with the actual warfighter. With this many men now on active duty, women began replacing the men in the workforce. The technology advances of this time period meant that all of the items associated with war (weapons, ammunition, aircraft parts etc.) still needed to be produced. With this amount of men now off to war, twenty percent of the workforce were women. Women also began dominating jobs, such as office workers and telephone operators. The Navy and Marine Corps were the first to begin soliciting women to fill basic operational tasks in order to free up men for combat purposes. The Army also used women in roles like phone operators and other signal related jobs. As the acceptance of women into these roles was beginning to be accepted by all, women were being used overseas in roles, such as nursing and clerical specialties putting them closer to the war. Over 35,000 women served in support of this war (DefenseLink Feature: Women 's History Month). World War II saw an increasing number of women serving in the military.
As the result of the woman’s successes in World War I, women were eager to come on board in support of the nation’s warfighter. For jobs that were once contracted out or done for free, women were now in uniform. 60,000 nurses served in all branches. The Women’s Army Corps was established with over 150,000 recruits. Women were now pilots flying domestic missions required for
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLES 5 the warfighter. Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES) was accepted and implemented in the Navy. As the war ended, women were on the most part released from the military that was once made up by all men, but this ultimately ended up with opening government legislation that would allow women in the military with equal ranks and privilege during peace and war (Women in U.S.Navy, WAVES, World War
II). It is estimated that 11,000 women served in the Vietnam War with 90 percent of their positions support being nurses (Women in the Vietnam War? History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts). Women did indeed serve in other positions, such as air traffic controllers, clerks, and military intelligence. Women were now wearing the same rank as the men but still were restricted to support type occupational skills.
Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm saw approximately 40,000 women deployed to South West Asia (Women In Military Service For America Memorial). This made up seven percent of the deployed forces on ground. Women did not serve in direct combat style units but were subjected to enemy contact during troop movement or by missile attacks. Five Army women were killed in action and 21 wounded in action. Two women were taken as Prisoners of War (POW). All casualties were the result of indirect causes, such as Scud missile attacks, helicopter crash, or mines. Women shared the same living conditions as the male service members. They all carried weapons. The women were equal but at the same time, were not yet as equal as the front line soldiers.
In 1994, the Clinton administration approved policy stating women could be assigned to all positions in which they were qualified for but were exempt from direct assignment to a unit
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 6 that’s mission was front line operations or direct combat. This ultimately opened the door to a higher percentile of the woman’s presence in the military. Since 2002, the United States Military has been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with forces deployed in Africa and Afghanistan. Approximately twenty percent of the deployed forces are made up of women in many positions but they are still not yet allowed assignment to front line units. Over 150 women have died in this Operation. In July of 2013, the officials of all branches of the military told Congress they could open all positions to women in 2016 (U.S. Military Vows to Put Women in Combat Roles by 2016 – Bloomberg). The current military standard for physical fitness is much more intense for the male soldier than female soldier which means the standards for women will ultimately have to increase in order to ensure training standards for these highly intense job specialties do not decline. With the implementation of female service members on the front lines will be the public’s view of having our daughters, mothers and wives on the front lines of combat which is sure to bring nationwide attention. Women have been a great part of the success of the military throughout our nation’s history. What some may consider simple task of support are of great importance to the soldier carrying the gun. From cooking, sewing, and providing medical aid to the troops on the battlefield, we are are now in the planning stages of placing these ladies on the battlefield where they will soon be side by side with their male counterparts where and be within a few feet of the enemy.
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ROLE’S 7
References
DefenseLink Feature: Women 's History Month. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2008/0308_womenshistory/
Early History of Women in the U.S. Army. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.army.mil/women/history.html
U.S. Military Vows to Put Women in Combat Roles by 2016 - Bloomberg. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-24/u-s-military-vows-to-put-women-in-combat-roles-by-2016.html
Women In Military Service For America Memorial. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.womensmemorial.org/Education/timeline.html
Women in the Vietnam War ? History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/women-in-the-vietnam-war
Women in U.S.Navy, WAVES, World War II. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq48-3f.htm