Our thanks to M for this interesting piece:
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/12/22/women-in-the-u-s-military-growing-share-distinctive-profile
Key points:
1. Between 1973 and 2010 the enlisted force declined by 738,000, while the number of women increased from 42,000 to 176,000.
[The same direction of travel we always see with taxpayer-funded employment.]
2. Among living veterans from any era only 15% of the women served in combat, compared with 35% of men.
[We assume that ‘in combat’ has a wider definition than ‘engaged in front-line action, because such a small proportion of soldiers returning home dead or disabled are women.]
3. 17% of the women are commissioned officers, compared with 15% of the men.
4. Since 1973 the proportion of women in the enlisted ranks has increased from 2% to 14%, and among commissioned officers from 4% to 16%.
