Released: December 22, 2011 Women in the U.S. Military: Growing
Share, Distinctive Profile The women who serve in today’s
military differ from the men who serve in a number of ways.
Compared with their male counterparts, a greater share of
military women are black and a smaller share are married. Also,
women veterans of the post-9/11 era are less likely than men to
have served in combat and more likely to be critical of the wars
in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other ways, however, military women
are not different from military men: they are just as likely to
be officers; they joined the armed services for similar reasons;
and post-9/11 veterans of both sexes have experienced a similar
mix of struggles and rewards upon returning to civilian life.
Since 1973, when the United States military ended conscription
and established an all-volunteer force, the number of women
serving on active duty has risen dramatically. The share of
women among the enlisted ranks has increased seven-fold, from 2%
to 14%, and the share am