ABSTRACT

Women's involvement in the Gulf War and highly publicized court battles challenging the exclusion of women by the Citadel and Virginia Military Institute have focused renewed attention on the acceptance and integration of women in the U.S. armed forces. In the wake of these actions, servicewomen's advocates have revived their efforts to remedy the negative effect of the services' remaining combat exclusion policies on women's assignment opportunities and promotion potential. Advocates recognize that the exclusion of women from combat roles prevents women from gaining experience that is a de facto prerequisite for advancement to senior ranks and policymaking positions.3