Military Women Roles

Women have been serving in the armed forces since before the Vietnam War; however, they have not always been recognized. Most men considered women to be invisible and incapable of doing a man’s job. In recent history, presidents and other officials have referred to our “boys in uniform” without giving servicewomen their deserved credit. In the article, “The Female Shape of the All-Volunteer Force” Elizabeth Hillman discusses the vital roles servicewomen played in the United States military.
Around the 1970’s military and political leaders realized that in order to meet their personnel needs they would have to rely on the help on servicewomen. As women started pushing their way into the military, it slowly became more feminized. Women brought …show more content…
Women’s enhanced presence in the military brought on many benefits for women. The military provided women with career stability and economic opportunities and as time went on, women were given the right to be promoted to a higher rank and even be treated fairly. The Air Force was especially accepting of women and began accommodating their reproductive lives by allowing women with children to enlist and automatic discharge of those who became pregnant. Although women were successful in many areas and were steadily fighting for equal opportunities across gender lines, they still faced diversity. There were still many areas that were unfair and restricted women to only certain occupations. Some positions in the military were still considered “male only” and women would not even be considered for the job. Women were usually expected to take on jobs classified as medical, dental, or clerical in nature. Along with the increase of females in the military came the increase of the possibility of sexual harassment and assault. These factors often threatened the lives and health of women around domestic and foreign military bases. Sexual harassment, assault and violence are also things that military and civilian women are forced to experience at home. Women would also subject to being excluded, tested and harassed much more often than men. Despite the costs of the military life, women still managed to find it rather appealing. A military career was an excellent opportunity for women who lacked significant economic opportunities. Many women saw the military as a viable career choice and it often presented them with the option to obtain an