Women are also steadily moving into nontraditional career fields. In 1990, there were 187 women in technical fields such as environmental engineering. Today, about 550 women work in nontraditional career fields. More than 7,600 women work in DoD s science and engineering fields. About 186 women pilots and navigators already fly combat aircraft.
Women continue advancing in the military hierarchy.
Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall is the first woman to head a military department. Five women are Army generals, Five are Navy admirals, and six are Air Force generals. President Clinton recently nominated Mutter, the Marine Corps' sole female general, for a third star and assignment as the Corp s deputy chief of staff for manpower and reserve affairs.