This man's army
In the United States, women have been able to enlist in the military since 1917, when the U.S. Naval Reserves "conspicuously" omitted gender as a qualification for service. This was the first time women had served in the U.S. Military in non-nurse capacities, although the first and only woman to receive the Medal of Honor was Dr. Mary E. Walker, a surgeon during the U.S. Civil War.
There are currently at least five countries that conscript women for mandatory military service. In the United States at present, both women and men can voluntarily enlist, although their duties in service are still a matter of significant debate. Women are not allowed in ground combat roles as a matter of national policy. In May 2005, the National Organization for Women reported that the House Armed Services committee was pushing a provision to keep women out of support companies "exposed to hostile fire."
Women who do choose to join the U.S. Military are subject to a number of challenges not experienced by their male counterparts. Bray et al (1999) found that stress related to "being a woman in the military" was linked to smoking and illicit drug use in active-duty recruits. Whitlock et al (1995) reported that smoking rates were higher among active-duty women than among active-duty men or civilians of either gender. Sadler et al surveyed 537 women who had served between Vietnam and 2000. They found that 23% had been victims of a physical assault during their service, 30% had been raped, and that these rates were consistent across eras of service. For comparison, Murdoch et al (2004) reported that 6.5%-16.5% of male veterans applying for PTSD benefits reported a sexual assault that took place during or after their military service.
Note to self: Send in selective service exemption form. I can't believe I keep forgetting it. See, in 2005, when I finally completed the paperwork that changed my legal status to male, suddenly I was a man over 18 who had never registered with the Selective Service. Other ftms I know have told me that they eventually received notices from the selective service saying that they had to register, but I wanted to preempt that by sending it in on my own. I just haven't gotten around to it. There is, luckily enough, a standard form that says "I am a transsexual" and gets you a letter of exemption (which I'm told does not disclose your transsexual status). Actually, never mind. I just checked the selective service website, and because I was over 26 when I became a man, I believe the point is moot.
There are currently at least five countries that conscript women for mandatory military service. In the United States at present, both women and men can voluntarily enlist, although their duties in service are still a matter of significant debate. Women are not allowed in ground combat roles as a matter of national policy. In May 2005, the National Organization for Women reported that the House Armed Services committee was pushing a provision to keep women out of support companies "exposed to hostile fire."
Women who do choose to join the U.S. Military are subject to a number of challenges not experienced by their male counterparts. Bray et al (1999) found that stress related to "being a woman in the military" was linked to smoking and illicit drug use in active-duty recruits. Whitlock et al (1995) reported that smoking rates were higher among active-duty women than among active-duty men or civilians of either gender. Sadler et al surveyed 537 women who had served between Vietnam and 2000. They found that 23% had been victims of a physical assault during their service, 30% had been raped, and that these rates were consistent across eras of service. For comparison, Murdoch et al (2004) reported that 6.5%-16.5% of male veterans applying for PTSD benefits reported a sexual assault that took place during or after their military service.
Note to self: Send in selective service exemption form. I can't believe I keep forgetting it. See, in 2005, when I finally completed the paperwork that changed my legal status to male, suddenly I was a man over 18 who had never registered with the Selective Service. Other ftms I know have told me that they eventually received notices from the selective service saying that they had to register, but I wanted to preempt that by sending it in on my own. I just haven't gotten around to it. There is, luckily enough, a standard form that says "I am a transsexual" and gets you a letter of exemption (which I'm told does not disclose your transsexual status). Actually, never mind. I just checked the selective service website, and because I was over 26 when I became a man, I believe the point is moot.