Abstract
Soon after the 1991 Gulf War, the Commander of the 320th Air Expeditionary Group in Saudi Arabia instituted a policy that would have consequences only for the U.S. military women stationed at that particular base. He ordered that all military women under his command wear the Abaya dress and act in accordance with local customs when venturing outside the base, including when performing official duties. The rhetoric used to explain this policy was both “host nation sensibilities” and “force protection.” Military women, being obedient, followed the rules. In 1995, however, a USAF officer started a campaign to end this policy, stating that wearing the Abaya was both discriminatory and against her religious principles as a Christian. Working through the chain of command for over 6 years did nothing to alleviate this policy. Going public, initiating a lawsuit against DoD, and pursuing legislation through Congress finally repealed this requirement in 2002.
This paper reviews the historical events leading up to the legislation, the arguments for and against the policy, and sociologically analyzes the repercussive effects of the policy on military women with regard to gender integration, unit cohesion, and military discipline.
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