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Women in the Military: A Critical Role in Leadership and Combat
Women have always been part of military operations as supporters and assistants but
have also actively participated in combatant missions. Democracy's different formation’s
perceptions of the role of women and gender equality have changed the status of women in the
military. Currently, elements of women's incorporation into practices such as leadership and
combat roles are not only regarded as a social issue but rather a way to enhance efficiency in
military operations. Nevertheless, some challenges undermine the capacity of female personnel
in the armed forces. Therefore, this paper seeks to advance the idea that the continued
incorporation of women into these positions will enhance the efficiency of the military and the
fight against the subjugation of women.
Women in the world's militaries have traditionally been confined to occupations rated as
feminine supportive positions. Women's roles during the Second World War were nursing,
clerical, and administrative positions, helping the military keep working back at home and in war
territories. However, it took a little more than three and a half years for the US Department of
Defense to finally reaffirm women and allow them to be appointed in combat positions, citing
their abilities and presence in the theater (Monteith, 814). This was a turning point towards
considering women as core figures in the military's strategic calculation—not only as
administrators or support staff—but as fighters and leaders, too.