 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