New Opportunities for Military Women

1
New Opportunities for Military Women

• Effects on Readiness, Cohesion, and Morale
• Margaret C. Harrell, Laura L. Miller
• 1997

2
Changes Affected Unit and Occupation Assignments
Units
Open before 92
Open after 92-94
Closed
Open before 92
Occupations
Open after 92-94
Closed
3
All Services Opened More Positions to Women
Positionsopen to women
4
Opening New Units Had More Effect Than Opening
New Skills

• Newly opened units usually can immediately accept
  women trained in occupations theyre authorized
• Actual assignment of women hard to track in Army
  and Marine units because of data limitations
• Easier to track assignment of women to newly
  opened ships
• 400 female officers (12)
• 3,157 enlisted women (6)

5
Percentage of Women in Newly OpenedSkills Is
Still Small
Newly OpenedSkills Filled by Women
Army
Navy
Air Force
Marines
Women in the force
14.0
12.7
17.3
5.1
6
Both Policy and Informal Limitations Remain

• Policy limits include ground combat and berthing
  restrictions
• Commanders discretion in how to use their
  personnel can lead to informal policies that
  limit where womenwork
• Units thought to be too close to direct combat
• Occupational duties, e.g., mechanic serving in
  administrative position
• Certain jobs (aides, drivers) to avoid any
  possibility of a harassment charge
• Jobs locally restricted to combat occupations
  (e.g., drill instructors limited to infantry)

7
We Used Multiple Methods to Assess EffectsOf
Gender Integration on Affected Units
We visited 14 units in May 1997
Interviews
Units newlyopened to women
Units newlyopened to women
Units newlyopened to women
Units newlyopened to women
Units newlyopened to women
Focus groups(492 people)
Units withpositions newlyopened to women
Units withpositions newlyopened to women
Units withpositions newlyopened to women
Units withpositions newlyopened to women
Surveys(934)
Units withpositions newlyopened to women
Did not visit Air Force units
8
Gender Integration Does Not Decrease Readiness
What Affects Your Units Readiness?
(2 comments of 515 mention gender effect)
Cohesion Quality Attitudes Materiel Leadership Wor
kload Training
0 50 100
150 200 250 300
Number of Responses
9
Gender Integration Does Not Erode Cohesion
What Affects Your Units Cohesion?
(10 comments of 619 mention gender effect)
Trust Leadership Teamwork Unit Organization Indivi
dual Character
0 50 100 150
200 250 300 Number of
Responses
10
Leadership--Not Gender--Determines Morale
What Affects Your Units Morale?
(8 comments of 805 mention gender effect)
Training/Materiel Quality of Life Attitude Job
Satisfaction Cohesion Workload Leadership
0 100 200
300
400 Number of Responses
11
Opinions Vary About Combat Exclusions

• Men are split
• Officers exclusion should remain
• Enlisted retain the exclusion or assign
  women the same way men are assigned
• Women think the exclusion should go
• Jr enlisted combat ought to be voluntary
• Officers assign women the same way men are
  assigned sr enlisted

12
Conclusions

• Women are moving into new units and occupations
• Perceived effect of gender integration on units
  is minor
• Services still in transition
• Implementation of policy to open more positions
  still underway
• More experience will be necessary for final
  assessment of recent policy changes
• Attitudes of personnel about gender integration
  seem to be evolving
• Service members believe current spotlight is
  unproductive