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Category: Combat

» CRS Report R42075: Women in Combat: Issues for Congress (December 3, 2015)

CRS Report R42075: Women in Combat: Issues for Congress, dated December 3, 2015, reviews women's service in the military, including Global War on Terrorism death and wounded-in-action statistics, the landscape of war, and military policies impacting the specialties open to servicewomen. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced in December 2015 that all military services would open 100% of their military occupational specialties to qualified servicewomen.

» CRS Report RL32492: American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics (January 2, 2015)

CRS Report RL32492: American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics, dated January 2, 2015, provides demographic data tables of American military casualties and wounded in action in wars and combat actions from 1775 to present. Some include gender data.

» Experiencing War: Women of Four Wars

The Library of Congress "Veterans History Project" includes "Experiencing War: Women of Four Wars." Women's stories about their service in the Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, and Iraq and Afghanistan wars shares their contributions and the changes in their military service roles.

» Female "Cultural Support Teams (CSTs)" in the U.S. Special Operations Forces

Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) engage the female population of Afghanistan. Understanding that contact between military men and Afghan women is culturally inappropriate, over 50% of the Afghan population would be inaccessible, hindering operations such as civic-action, raids, information gathering, and other types of missions. The CSTs overcome this limitation.

» Female "Field Engagement Teams (FETs)" in the U.S. Army and Marines

Female Engagement Teams (FETs) engage the female population of Afghanistan. Understanding that contact between military men and Afghan women is culturally inappropriate, over 50% of the Afghan population would be inaccessible, hindering operations such as civic-action, raids, information gathering, and other types of missions. The FETs overcome this limitation.

» Female Engagement Teams: The Need to Standardize Training and Employment

Since the early 21st century and for nearly a decade, U.S. coalition forces formed informal female engagement teams (FETs) Training and employment of these teams is not standardized. To meet strategic goals and objectives, the Army needs to better staff, employ, and train female engagement teams.

» Integration Plan: SecDef Memo Announcing Elimination of 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule (January 24, 2013)

This Secretary of Defense memo immediately rescinded the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule that excluded women from assignments to units engaged in direct ground combat. It also set 2013 dates for Service plan submissions and January 1, 2016 as the target date for full integration.

» Integration Plan: Secretary of Defense Acknowledgement of Receipt of Service Plans to Integrate Women in Military Services (May 21, 2013)

This is the Secretary of Defense's memo acknowledging receipt of all military service implementation plans for integration of women into 100% of their military occupational specialties including direct ground combat by January 1, 2016. These plans comply with the Secretary of Defense's request made after he rescinded the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for women.

» Integration Plan: Women in Special Operations (March 22, 2013)

This is the Special Operations plan to integrate women into 100% of their military occupational specialties including direct ground combat by January 1, 2016. This plan complies with the Secretary of Defense's rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for women.

» Integration Plan: Women in the Air Force (April 24, 2013)

This is the Air Force plan to integrate women into 100% of their military occupational specialties including direct ground combat by January 1, 2016. This plan complies with the Secretary of Defense's rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for women.

» Integration Plan: Women in the Army (April 19, 2013)

This is the Army plan to integrate women into 100% of their military occupational specialties including direct ground combat by January 1, 2016. This plan complies with the Secretary of Defense's rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for women.

» Integration Plan: Women in the Marine Corps (May 2, 2013)

This is the Marine Corps plan to integrate women into 100% of their military occupational specialties including direct ground combat by January 1, 2016. This plan complies with the Secretary of Defense's rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for women.

» Integration Plan: Women in the Navy (May 2, 2013)

This is the Navy plan to integrate women into 100% of their military occupational specialties including direct ground combat by January 1, 2016. This plan complies with the Secretary of Defense's rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for women.

» Library: Servicewomen's Action Network (SWAN): Facts, Policies, Legislation & News Impacting Servicewomen & Women Veterans

Servicewomen's Action Network (SWAN), is a non-profit social justice organization, advocating on behalf of servicewomen. They intend to impact enduring change within the military and veteran service organizations and culture through reform. SWAN maintains comprehensive online information resources including facts, policies, legislation, and news about issues impacting women who serve in the military.

» Lioness Program ‘Pride’ of the Corps (March 13, 2009)

The Marine's female "Lioness Program" formed when military operations in Iraq shifted from direct combat to stabilization and peacekeeping missions. Search and seizure methods were executed to capture insurgents trying to smuggle weapons and other contraband through the checkpoints, but Muslim tradition did not allow a man to touch a women not related to them. The "Lioness" teams performed this function.

» Project Diane: Women's Foundation of Greater Kansas City Final Report (November 2015)

The Women's Foundation of Greater Kansas City, with funding from The Army Research Institute, researched the potential benefits and barriers of gender integration of Special Forces (Green Berets). They found a "great deal of resistance to gender integration in the military" linked to what they referred to as "gender oblivion."

» Report: From Representation to Inclusion: Diversity Leadership for the 21st Century (March 15, 2011)

The Military Leadership Diversity Commission published this report, dated March 15, 2011, in response to a Congressional task to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of policies and practices that shape diversity among military leaders.

» Training Manual: Women Working for Normalization (2014)

Since 1980, nearly half of the world's poorest countries have experienced armed conflict. This Training Manual on “Women Working for Normalization”, was initiated by the United Nations Women Engaged in Action on 1325 (WE Act 1325). The Australian government funded this effort to actively engage women in Mindanao (Philippines) in the rebuilding of their communities that have been ravaged by protracted armed conflict within their country and between countries.

» Women in Combat: Issues for Congress (May 9, 2013)

This Congressional Research Service report reviews the history of laws prohibiting women from serving in combat units were repealed in the early 1990s, but it has been Department of Defense (DOD) policy restricting women from certain units and military occupations, particularly ground combat units.

» Women in Combat: Where They Stand (April 27, 2015)

Women in International Security hosted an event at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to examine the development of fully integrating women into combat occupations in the U.S. military.