Women play important role in military

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Madelyn Waychoff
  • 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFPN) --  Throughout history, women have broken barriers to serve in the military, some legitimately and some not. Many women worked as nurses on battlefields, while others disguised themselves as men so they could join. Even though the contributions women made were recognized, Americans would not allow them to be fully integrated into the military until 1948, when President Harry Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act.

Now, each year more women join every branch of military service.

“I’ve definitely seen more women coming in since I joined 23 years ago,” said Senior Master Sgt. Donna Knevitt, the assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of the 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit here. “And the attitude toward women has changed, too. When I first came in, women were expected to fail. Now when a female comes in she’s fully expected to succeed, and we expect great things out of her, and I think that’s great.”

For those women who have not been in quite as long as Sergeant Knevitt, they often say they have not dealt with prejudices because of their sex.

“I joined the Air Force as an American to serve my country, not as a woman,” said Tech. Sgt. Valerie Fluet, a maintenance support evaluator with the 729th Air Control Squadron. “I’m just here to do my job.”

Capt. Christina Deibel, a pilot with the 34th Fighter Squadron, said she feels like one of the guys.

“And I believe they treat me as such,” she said. “I’ve never had to face any adversity, even though I’m in a male-dominated career field.”

Although the military is still made up mostly of males, women now do almost all the same jobs as men. There are more women in combat zones, as well as positions directly related to combat. Women’s opportunities rose to new heights in 1993 when they were authorized to fly fighter jets.

“When I was in Saudi Arabia in ’94, we had our very first female pilot flying a fighter aircraft, and I thought it was amazing,” Sergeant Knevitt said. “But that was brand new at the time. Now, to see females flying these F-16 [Fighting Falcons] has definitely been a big change.”

And there are more female fighter pilots every year. Sixty women now fly fighter jets throughout the active-duty Air Force. While they make up 1.9 percent of all fighter pilots, there are more women flying every year.

“I don’t think there’ll ever be an equal number of women to men though,” Captain Deibel said. “It’s interest-based. I just don’t think as many girls want to be fighter pilots because of everything that goes along with it. It’s hanging out with the boys, as well as the intense training and physical strain it puts on you.”

More women are also forming on the front lines -- not in combat, but in combat-related positions.

“I think women have a role in combat,” Sergeant Knevitt said. “As fighter pilots, I think women belong in that seat. In the trenches, there are both men and women who shouldn’t be there, but short of physical limitations, women can do everything men can do.”

Sergeant Knevitt also said the attitude toward women in combat has changed since she has been in; now more people believe women belong there.

Captain Deibel agrees.

“I feel that if a woman can do it -- physically, mentally and emotionally -- and she meets all the same qualifications as the man does, then yes, she’s capable and should be allowed in combat,” she said. “There would be instability in integrating women on the front lines. But as far as aerial and naval combat, all it takes is skill, and I don’t think it matters whether you’re a man or a woman.”

Until 1967 women could not be promoted higher than the rank of colonel. Then, President Lyndon Johnson removed the last promotion restriction by signing Public Law 90-130. Women were free to be promoted to all ranks.

Since then, women have risen through the ranks and proved themselves up to the task of defending America. There are now more than 70,000 active-duty women in the Air Force, according to Air Force Personnel Center officials.

“The need for women to serve their country just as men do has always been the same,” Captain Deibel said. “The only thing that’s changed over the years is the role we played.”