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Current, former military women invited to participate in study exploring combat trauma
Diane Delauter, a masters in social work student at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, is conducting a research study about military women - either active duty or veterans, who have deployed to conflicts such as Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Bosnia, Somalia, the Gulf War, Vietnam, etc.
Important research has been conducted on the male experience of war and combat. This study will focus on the female perspective and experiences in hopes of further validating women’s roles and sacrifices in the Armed Services.
If you are a woman who is currently or has been in the military and has served in international areas of conflict/war and faced hostilities that can be called combat, you are invited to take this survey. For more details, the first page of the survey will describe things fully and you are in no way compelled to take this survey if you do not feel comfortable about it.
Your participation would be completely anonymous and voluntary, greatly appreciated, and may help health and wellness professionals better serve the women like you who have done so much for their country, whether they've deployed to combat zones or not. You may also exit the survey at any time, it will take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
For further information, read Ms. Delauter’s letter here; to view or participate in the survey click here. |
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AND releases new/updated position papers |
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The Alliance for National Defense today released a new position paper on Pregnancy and Military Operations and updated their September 2007 paper on Women in Combat.
The paper on Pregnancy and Military Operations effectively debunked wild Internet rumors of sky-high Navy pregnancy rates, noting that -- based on official DoD data – “pregnant military women lose no more work time than military men…who lose more time due to sports injuries and disciplinary reasons.” Read Pregnancy and Military Operations here OR download PDF
Among the conclusions of the Women in Combat position paper:
“Women are in combat – this is nothing new. They serve in Afghanistan and Iraq with pride and honor. In both war zones, many of the distinctions regarding combat have constantly blurred because there are no front lines, and DGC is not isolated to being well forward on the battlefield – it is asymmetrical.” “Current doctrine and policy concerning the assignment of military women have outlived past usefulness, and it is time for their revision, if not elimination, to reflect actual practices that are essential to wage this type of war.”
Read Women in Combat.here OR download PDF |
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NEWS ARCHIVE Articles on Military Women |
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Women generals and flag officers honor General Dunwoody
A ‘star-studded’ group of more than 50 retired and current female generals and flag officers including AND President Emirata Gen. Pat Foote gathered at the WIMSA memorial to honor General Ann Dunwoody, the U.S. military’s first female four-star general.
In November, Dunwoody became the first female officer in U.S. military history to earn a fourth star. She currently serves as commander, U.S. Army Materiel Command.
Click here to view an Army video on the gathering. Click here to read the story in text.
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AcademyWomen Holds Annual Symposium 24-26 September 2010
The Seventh Annual AcademyWomen Fall Leadership Symposium will be held September 24-26 September, 2010 at the Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA) Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. AcademyWomen hosts leadership events to inspire, inform and connect all current, future and former women military officers from all the military services regardless of commissioning source.
The theme for the 2010 symposium is “Coming to the Edge: Finding Your Wings.” The theme "Coming to the Edge" speaks to moving beyond the boundaries of our comfort zones, to propel us further in our professional, personal and emotional growth to attain seemingly unreachable heights and to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.
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Alliance for National Defense announces 2010 scholarships for enlisted women, ROTC cadets and midshipmen
The Alliance for National Defense (AND), will award two $2,500 scholarships to current and future military women in 2010.
The alliance is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization providing powerful advocacy and a positive voice for military women. AND encourages and promotes the vital role of military women and men in our nation's defense. AND directors, national council members and supporters include active duty military personnel and concerned veterans working alongside civilians interested in military issues to provide factual, thoughtful, objective information on military personnel issues to policymakers, legislators and the public.
Honoring Brigadier General Evelyn P. Foote, USA, Ret., the Foote Scholarship is reserved for a currently serving enlisted woman who is enrolled for at least six credit hours at an accredited college or university; the Sadler Scholarship, named for Captain Georgia Sadler, USN, Ret., is intended for a woman enrolled in her second year in an accredited ROTC program.
Scholarship winners will be chosen from among applicants representing any branch or component of the armed forces based on merit, academic potential, community service and need. Winners will be announced in July 2010.
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AND calls for changes in policy on women in combat, women in submarines |
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The Alliance for National Defense today released position papers calling on the Department of Defense to modernize policies regarding women in the interest of national defense. AND called for an expansion military women’s combat roles ‘to reflect the reality on the ground’ and urged that Navy women, both officer and enlisted, be given the opportunity to compete for positions in all platforms (SSN, SSBN, SSGN) of the U.S. Navy’s submarine force. “Women should be considered for military assignments and duties based on the training, experience, leadership potential and characteristics required to accomplish the mission and the specific requirements/tasks of the job,” the position paper on Women in Combat states. The position paper on women in combat urged sweeping changes in women’s participation in combat operations: “Women should be considered for military assignments and duties based on the training, experience, leadership potential and characteristics required to accomplish the mission and the specific requirements/tasks of the job,” the position paper concludes. “Performance standards for military jobs should be based on the scientifically developed and empirically verified elements of the job’s tasks and not based on personal opinion.” The complete position papers in PDF format are available for download and review: |
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