Publication

This report analyzes the issue of women serving in the US military. It suggests that women have become more involved in combat operations and that laws prohibiting women from serving in combat units were repealed in the early 1990s. However, it has been Department of Defense (DOD) policy to restrict women from certain units and military occupations, especially ground combat units, though efforts have been underway to change this. Others have questioned the need to modify or remove these restrictions and the purposes for doing so. This report reviews these issues and some of the recommendations for Congress on the issue as it has the authority to make changes in this area.