Women's History Month: Expanding roles of women in the
military
by Staff Sgt. Dwayne K. Holliday, Equal Opportunity
NCO, U.S. Army Operational Test Command
Women continue making great
contributions to today's ever-evolving military by
dedicating their lives through personal service and
sacrifice.
As early as 1775 during the Revolutionary War and until
present day, the once male-dominated armed forces is
becoming more of an equal playing field.
Command Sgt. Maj. Yzette L. Nelson became the Army's
first female command sergeant major when she was
promoted on March 30, 1968, after President Lyndon
Johnson signed Public Law 90-30 Nov. 8, 1967, removing
restrictions on women achieving advanced military rank.
A Shevlin, Minnesota, native, Nelson retired in 1970
after serving 26 years beginning in the Women's Army
Corps as a clerk typist in 1944. Since her time,
advancement of women in the Army picked up at an
astounding rate.
Equal opportunity for Soldiers in the Army has been a
steady structure for the military way of life, but
consistency was sometimes lacking among the women who
strived to serve in combat units.
During the last several years, women have begun serving
in nearly all combat and non-combat military operational
specialty positions.
It seems like only a few years ago when male Soldiers on
the battlefield had to rely exclusively on their male
battle buddies when it came to Army training and real
world missions that involved engaging deadly enemy
forces. That's almost an ancient concept now that women
are taking and preparing for more combat-related roles.
Former Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said,
"Integration provides equal opportunity for men and
women who can perform the tasks required; it does not
guarantee women will be promoted at any specific number
or at any set rate, as adherence to a merit-based system
must be paramount."
On March 10, 2016, the Department of Defense gave the
final approval to integrate women across all military
jobs.
Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver (now a
captain) were the first women to earn the elite Army
Ranger tab after completing the rigorous training course
that began with 400 students, including 19 women. The
course is so grueling, that just 94 male Soldiers
graduated at Fort Benning, Georgia, along with the two
females.
Griest is the Army's first female Infantry officer and
is from Orange, Connecticut, while Haver is a native of
Copperas Cove, Texas. Both were featured in Fortune
Magazine's list of "World's Greatest Leaders."
The Associated Press reported, "Their success casts new
attention on the obstacles that remain to women who
aspire to join all-male combat units, including the 75th
Ranger Regiment. Although Haver and Griest are now
Ranger-qualified, no women are eligible for the elite
regiment, although officials say it is among special
operations units likely to eventually be open to women."
Also, former President Barack Obama nominated Air Force
Gen. Lori Robinson to become the first female combatant
commander to lead the U.S. Northern Command on May 16,
2016. Robinson's responsibilities are to head homeland
defense efforts for the Pentagon and coordinate defense
support of civil authorities, as well as the North
American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which
conducts aerospace warning, aerospace control, and
maritime warning in defense of North America.
The Army has and will always adapt to the changes of the
world in order to maintain its military readiness at the
drop of a dime.
Women have been a part of that change since the Army
existed. Now, the Army has gotten stronger and more
versatile with integration of women into combat units,
and this is just the beginning.