Military (Women in the Military)

We’re working to expand opportunities for female service members, to better prevent and detect sexual harassment and assault, and to eliminate all forms of sex discrimination, including discrimination based on pregnancy and parental status.

Highlights

Fact Sheet | Restrictions on Assignments of Military Women: A Brief History

April 18, 2012

The general trend since the end of the Second World War has been expanding roles for women in the armed forces. This paper provides background information on the history and status of policy governing assignment of military women.

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press release | National Women’s Law Center Applauds Pentagon Decision to Open More Positions to Women, Calls on DOD to End All Remaining Restrictions on Women’s Military Service

February 9, 2012

(Washington, D.C.)  The Pentagon is expected to announce today that it is lifting its 1994 rule permitting the military services to prohibit the assignment of women to units that physically collocate—operate side by side—with ground combat units.  However, it is not changing its rule that prohibits women from being assigned to units whose primary mission is direct ground combat. Read more...

Blog Post | Good News for Military Women—DACOWITS Is Back

June 11, 2010
by Holly Hemphill, Senior Counsel, National Women's Law Center The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) is again up and running. The Committee was founded in 1950 by then Secretary of Defense George Marshall to advise him on recruiting, training and effectively employing more women in the armed forces at the time of the Korean War. Read more...

More Resources

Fact Sheet | Give Military Women the Health Care Coverage They Deserve

May 17, 2012

Under current law, women in the military who are survivors of rape and incest are denied coverage for abortion care.  This coverage is less than the coverage provided to other women who rely on the federal government for health insurance.  Military women sacrifice for our country every day -- we should not thank them by giving them less health care coverage than their civilian counterparts.  The ban on health care coverage for abortion care in case of rape and incest should be lifted immediately.

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Fact Sheet | Restrictions on Assignments of Military Women: A Brief History

April 18, 2012

The general trend since the end of the Second World War has been expanding roles for women in the armed forces. This paper provides background information on the history and status of policy governing assignment of military women.

 Read more...

Fact Sheet | Eliminating Sexual Assault Should Be a Top Priority of the Department of Defense

December 15, 2008

Despite the attention given to the issue in recent years, the sexual assault of military women is an ongoing, serious problem within our armed forces. Sexual assault is a grave criminal offense with detrimental effects on readiness, and preventing it should be an urgent priority of the Department of Defense.

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Fact Sheet | Military Women Should Be Allowed to Serve in All Units and Occupations for Which They Qualify

December 15, 2008
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Fact Sheet | DACOWITS Should Be Revitalized

December 14, 2008
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