III 

★(Star Print)

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 441 

Recognizing the history and continued accomplishments of women in the 

Armed Forces of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 4, 2010 

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Ms. COLLINS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Ms. 

KLOBUCHAR, Mrs. MURRAY, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. BURRIS, Mrs. 

GILLIBRAND, Ms. STABENOW, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. BYRD, and Mr. SCHUMER) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the history and continued accomplishments of 

women in the Armed Forces of the United States. 

Whereas women of diverse ethnic, religious, socioeconomic, 

and racial backgrounds have made extraordinary contributions to each service of the Armed Forces; 

Whereas today women volunteer to serve the Nation and distinguish themselves in the active and reserve components 

of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast 

Guard; 

Whereas the contributions of generations of women have contributed to the collective success of women in military 


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SRES 441 ATS1S 

service and the freedom and security of the United 

States; 

Whereas women have served with honor, courage, and a pioneering spirit in every major military campaign in the 

history of the United States since the Revolutionary War; 

Whereas Dr. Mary E. Walker was the first, and remains the 

only, woman awarded the Medal of Honor for her contributions to military medicine and selfless actions during 

the Civil War; 

Whereas the role of women expanded during World War I, 

with women serving as medical professionals and telephone operators and in other support roles that were critical to the war effort; 

Whereas, during World War II, women served in every military service and in every theater and received awards for 

their gallantry, including four Silver Stars; 

Whereas the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 

1948 (62 Stat. 356, chapter 449) established permanent 

positions and granted veterans benefits for women in the 

Armed Forces and allowed women to serve during the 

Korean War as regular members of the military; 

Whereas, during the Vietnam War, roughly 7,500 women 

served in the Armed Forces in Southeast Asia as Nurse 

Corps officers and in other vital capacities where they 

saved lives and supported their fellow service members; 

Whereas, in 1976, the service academies first admitted 

women, and in 1980, the first women graduated from the 

United States Military Academy, the United States Naval 

Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and the 

United States Coast Guard Academy; 


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SRES 441 ATS1S 

Whereas women were assigned to the first gender-integrated 

units during the 1980s, with women serving alongside 

men in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada and Operation Just Cause in Panama; 

Whereas an unprecedented 40,000 women deployed as uniformed members of the Armed Forces in support of Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield; 

Whereas, in 1991, Congress repealed laws prohibiting women 

from flying combat missions and in 1993 repealed the restriction on women serving on combat vessels; 

Whereas, on June 16, 2005, Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, an 

Army National Guard Military Police Soldier, became the 

first woman to receive the Silver Star since World War 

II for exceptional valor during an ambush on her convoy 

in Iraq; 

Whereas, on November 14, 2008, General Ann Dunwoody became the first woman in the military to achieve the rank 

of four-star general; 

Whereas, according to the Department of Defense, there are 

currently 203,375 women on active duty in the Armed 

Forces, many of whom have been deployed in harm’s 

way; 

Whereas, as of January 2, 2010, 104 military women have 

lost their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 20 military women have lost their lives in Operation Enduring 

Freedom; 

Whereas, as of February 6, 2010, 616 military women have 

been wounded in action in Iraq, and 50 military women 

have been wounded in action in Afghanistan; 


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SRES 441 ATS1S 

Whereas, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 

as of February 1, 2010, there were 1,824,000 women 

veterans of the Armed Forces; 

Whereas women help make the military of the United States 

the finest in the world by serving frequent and lengthy 

deployments under the most difficult conditions; 

Whereas women in the Armed Forces frequently balance the 

rigors of a military career with the responsibilities of 

maintaining a healthy family; 

Whereas women serving in combat theaters have been exposed to the same hazards and harsh conditions as male 

service members, and have sustained grave injuries and 

have given their lives in service to our Nation; 

Whereas all service members, both men and women, deserve 

fair compensation for service related injuries, proper 

health care and rehabilitation, and the respect of a grateful Nation for their selfless service, sacrifice, and loyalty; 

and 

Whereas women have made our Nation safer and more secure, while representing the values that we hold dear: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) acknowledges the contributions of women to 

3 our national defense and their importance in the 

4 rich history of the United States; 

5 (2) celebrates the role that women have played 

6 in securing our Nation and defending our freedom; 


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SRES 441 ATS1S 

1 (3) recognizes the unique challenges that 

2 women have overcome to expand the role of women 

3 in military service; 

4 (4) agrees that programs available for women 

5 service members and veterans should be strength6 ened and enhanced, including for those who are 

7 dealing with invisible wounds of war; and 

8 (5) strongly encourages the people of the 

9 United States to honor women veterans who have 

10 served our Nation and to elevate their stature in our 

11 national conscience. 

Æ 


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