Women in the Military

The Persian Gulf War was a watershed event for women in the military. For the first time, American women were stationed alongside men in a prolonged conflict. The stellar performance of more than 40,000 female troops during the war has mobilized many in Congress -- and some in the military -- to push for a broader role for women in the armed forces, including combat. But many observers contend that the male-dominated military culture is not prepared to accept women as equals. As evidence they point to recent disclosures about pervasive sexual harassment, including the widely publicized Tailhook incident. The controversy comes at a difficult time for the armed forces, which are under federal mandate to reduce their ranks by 25 percent by 1995.