page_title: Women in the military
section_title: Policy changes
hierarchical_section_title: Women in the military / Combat / United States / Policy changes
caption_attribution_description: English: 191007-N-KJ380-0007 PENSACOLA, Fla. (October 7, 2019) Sailors attending information warfare courses at Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station prepare to fall into formation onboard Naval Aviation Station Pensacola Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida. These Sailors are just some of the many thousands training and preparing to defend America around the world as information warfare warfighters. IWTC Corry Station is a part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, and with four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT is recognized as Naval Education and Training Command's top learning center for the past three years. Training over 20,000 students every year, CIWT delivers trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Neo B. Greene III/Released)
context_page_description: Women have served in the military in many different roles in various jurisdictions throughout history.
  Since 1914, in western militaries, women have served in greater numbers and more diverse roles than before. In the 1970s, most Western armies began allowing women to serve in active duty in all military branches. In 2006, eight countries conscripted women into military service. In 2013, Norway became the first NATO country to draft women, as well as the first country in the world to conscript women on the same formal terms as men. In 2017, neighboring Sweden followed suit and in 2018, the Netherlands joined this line-up.
  In 2018, only two countries conscripted women and men on the same formal conditions: Norway and Sweden. A few other countries have laws allowing for the conscription of women into their armed forces, however with some difference such as service exemptions, length of service, and more.
context_section_description: Until 1993, 67 percent of the positions in the Army were open to women.
  In 2013, 15.6 percent of the Army's 1.1 million soldiers, including National Guard And Reserve, were female, serving in 95 percent of occupations. As of 2017 78 percent of the positions in the Army are open to women. In the U.S. Air Force, 99% of career fields are open to women, with the only exceptions Special Tactics Officer, Combat Control, Special Operations Weather Technician, Combat Rescue Officer, Pararescue and Tactical Air Control Party.
  In January 2013, the US ended the policy of "no women in units that are tasked with direct combat".
  In 2013 female US Army soldiers enrolled in a training course designed by Combined Joint Task Force Paladin, specifically designed for Female Engagement Team members. The course was intended to train female soldiers for tasks such as unexploded ordnance awareness, biometrics, forensics, evidence collection, tactical questioning, vehicle and personnel searches and homemade explosive devices.
  By May 2015, none of the nineteen women vying to become the first female Army Rangers had passed Ranger School. Eleven of the nineteen dropped out in the first four days. Of the remaining eight who failed in the next step, three were given the option to. Two graduated in August 2015. A third graduated in October 2015.
  In April 2015 after two-and-a-half-year period in which the Marine Corps' Infantry Officer Course became gender-integrated for research, ended without a single female graduate. The final two participants failed the initial Combat Endurance Test.
  In 2016 all combat jobs opened to women.
  Women have been injured, killed, and awarded high honors. Two women received the Silver Star: Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester in 2005 and Army Specialist Monica Lin Brown in 2007 for their actions in combat. Over 10,000 combat action badges were awarded to women who served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.
caption: Sailors in formation at the Center for Information Warfare Training, NAS Pensacola Corry Station, 2019
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