Erosion of the Us Army's Glass Ceiling for Women

Introduction

The Army Personnel Services Detachment (APSD) does not present any form glass ceiling for women. This is primarily due to the nature and make up of the organization. The APSD is a military organization and the highest ranking officer in its composition is a captain. Currently, the US Army is having tremendous success in keeping equitable promotion opportunities in the junior officer ranks. The APSD has no current equal opportunity (EO) issues based on unfair treatment among the sexes, but female Soldiers have dealt with severe gender discrimination over the past 65 years.(Living the Legacy of Women’s Rights, n.d.)

Signs of a Glass Ceiling for Women in the Army

At the conception of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), in 1942, the glass ceiling was low and not very transparent. It installed obvious obstacles that were visible to anyone who slightly cared to notice. From its introduction, the pay of the WAC women were 20% less than the wages paid to male Soldiers. Over 145, 000 women of the WAC participated in World War II (WWII). Approximately 180 women lost their lives but less the 0.5% of the total number Army women serving were awarded military decorations for their service.( Burgess, n.d.; Living the Legacy of Women’s Rights, n.d.)

Initially it was impossible for women officers of the WAC to achieve the rank of general. The highest rank a commanding woman could attain was colonel. A female officer could only be promoted to colonel if she was assuming a command. If she was not taking a command then the highest rank attainable was lieutenant colonel. In 1967, after the Vietnam Conflict draft, Congress removed the cap that limited how many women were allowed in a military uniform. Even after the cap was lifted the Army Recruiting Command did not pursue interested eligible females. Their marketing campaigns were targeted directly at eligible men. It wasn’t until 1970 that the first woman general was selected. An Army nurse, Anna Mae Hayes, was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.(First Female General Officer in the U. S. Army, 2003) In 1978, the WAC ceased to exist as a separate military entity and its women were finally integrated in the ranks of the regular Army. Two years prior in 1976, West Point Military Academy could start accepting female students but another 20 years passed before a woman cadet graduated valedictorian of her class.(Living the Legacy of Women’s Rights, n.d.)

Movement to Equality

The Army movement for gender equality is far from over but in recent years three powerful decisions have effectively bridged the gap. In 1991, the US Congress lifted the ban on women in combat aviation. Two years later, in 1993, the Department of Defense (DoD) mandated that the uniformed armed services drastically reduce their constraints on women in combat. The following year, women were no longer restricted from being helicopter crewmembers. They were also authorized to fulfill combat service support roles in explosive ordinance (EOD) and combat engineer units.(Living the Legacy of Women’s Rights, n.d.)

Utilitarian and Deontological Impacts

The strides taken to reduce the limitations on women in the Army are positive in nature from both a utilitarian and deontological perspective. From a utilitarian point of view, every obstacle Army women overcome provides a boost for American women nation-wide and helps shatter America’s symbolic glass ceiling for women. As each woman excels in the Army she inspires a multitude of other women to reach for the stars and attain