Military

• Women represent 17.5% of our enlisted forces. The number of women entering active duty has risen each year but across the four major Department of Defense services, women represent only one of every six Americans in uniform. (source, US Department of Defense)

• Women veterans experience emotionally traumatic or distressing experiences while serving and one in three servicewomen seen by Veterans Health Administration disclose they have experienced Military Sexual Trauma. (source, US Department of Veteran Affairs )

• Seventy-six percent (76%) of victims in the military do not report their attacker (source, Protect Our Defenders), perhaps because victims of sexual assault face grave barriers in the military justice system and improved prevention, oversight and data is much needed. (source, Rep. Sherrill)

• Many women who choose to separate from active military duty are faced with new challenges including gender pay gaps, bias against mothers, financial instability, and stress caused by mililatry sexual trauma. (source, Military Times)

• Active duty women pay up to 10x more than men for mandatory uniform items. (source, GAO as published in Stars and Stripes)

• Only 10 women have held the rank of four-star general or admiral in the US Military (soure, Brookings). Other top military postions never held by a woman include:
  • Secretary of Defense
  • Secretary of Veteran Affairs

• Once the 28th Amendment (Equal Rights) is enforceable, government agencies like the military will be held to the standard of “equality of rights under the law” in cases of sex discrimination. Additionally, the military justice system would have a new framework with which to adjudicate cases of military sexual assaults.

NOTE: The 28th Amendment also provides constitutional protection for LGBTQ+ service members from sex discrimination and exclusion from our military.