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Gender Integration in the Military

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Report
Diversity Can Enhance Military Effectiveness
Embracing diversity in the military could bring significant operational and strategic advantages. For example, diversity is important in developing effective, ethical, and trustworthy AI systems. How can the UK and U.S. armed forces remove barriers to inclusion and attract more diverse workforces?
Aug 23, 2022
Tool
Addressing Disparities in the U.S. Military
Racial, ethnic, and gender disparities in military career success and representation are a long-standing problem. To help inform efforts to address this, researchers created the Military Demographic Equity Machine tool.
Sep 6, 2022

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Commentary
Removing Barriers to Diversity and Inclusion in the Military
Efforts to improve representation and remove barriers for personnel with protected characteristics are seen as essential steps for modern militaries, but have not gone without controversy. The UK Armed Forces could take a more-strategic approach to leveraging diversity to elevate it as a strategic enabler of military fighting power in the contemporary threat environment.
Aug 29, 2022
Brochure
Improving Workforce Diversity and Inclusion
This brochure collects RAND Corporation research on improving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within large organizations, focusing on findings useful to U.S. Department of the Air Force DEI efforts.
May 11, 2022
News Release
More Evidence Needed to Support Performance Goals of Current Army Combat Fitness Test; Women, Other Groups Pass the ...
As the U.S. Army rolls out its Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), more evidence is needed to prove that all six test events adequately predict performance on combat tasks or reduce injury risks and that combat task performance is a necessary metric for all Army jobs.
Mar 23, 2022
Report
Evidence to Support New Army Combat Fitness Test Is Incomplete
The U.S. Army has a new fitness test for the first time in 40 years. A review finds that more evidence is needed to prove that all six test events adequately predict performance on combat tasks and that combat standards are a necessary metric for all Army jobs. Women, National Guard troops, and others are passing the test at lower rates.
Mar 23, 2022
Report
How Effective Are Blinding Concepts and Practices to Promote Equity in the Department of the Air Force?
The authors discuss the scholarly literature on the efficacy of blinding strategies, how these insights apply to Department of the Air Force (DAF) goals, and possible steps for the DAF to advance its goal of a more equitable and inclusive workforce.
Dec 30, 2021
Report
Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of the Air Force
This Perspective summarizes organizational, managerial, and procedural insights that RAND Project AIR FORCE has provided to Department of the Air Force leaders in recent years on critical diversity and personnel challenges facing the department.
Nov 22, 2021
Essay
Preventing Sexual Violence in the Military
The military has worked hard in recent years to raise awareness about the problem of sexual violence. But it needs to take a big step forward to make investments and change the culture in ways that will deter sexual assault and sexual harassment by holding perpetrators and leaders accountable.
Nov 2, 2021
Periodical
RAND Review: November-December 2021
The cover story highlights how RAND is helping to redefine high-quality care for service members with a TBI or PTSD. The Q&A with two Marines who work at RAND sheds light on how their military service informs their research and analysis.
Nov 1, 2021
News Release
Lack of Diversity in U.S. Coast Guard Greater in Higher Ranks; Comprehensive and Sustained Changes Recommended to ...
Women and racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented at all levels of the United States Coast Guard—especially in higher ranks and among senior leadership—and comprehensive changes across the organization are needed to improve diversity rates among all ranks.
Aug 11, 2021
Report
How the U.S. Coast Guard Could Increase Its Diversity
Women and racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the United States Coast Guard, especially in higher ranks and senior leadership. Changes are needed across the personnel lifecycle, from recruiting to career development, advancement and promotions, retention, and climate.
Aug 11, 2021
News Release
Sexual Assault, Harassment Likely to Persist in U.S. Military Without Bold Action
Sexual assault and harassment may continue to undermine the U.S. military unless the Department of Defense takes bold steps such as hiring dedicated, well-trained prevention staff and revisiting the chain of command for reporting incidents.
Jul 19, 2021
Report
Countering Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military
The Department of Defense has taken significant steps for more than a decade to address sexual assault and sexual harassment in the U.S. military. And yet these behaviors remain a persistent problem. To reduce rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment, efforts should focus on the current state of prevention.
Jul 19, 2021
Commentary
Military Must Better Understand Sexual Assaults to Combat Them
Sexual minorities in the U.S. military represent about 12 percent of the active-duty population. But they account for an estimated 43 percent of those who are sexually assaulted. This raises critical questions for the Pentagon as it tries to reduce the 20,000 sexual assaults in the ranks each year.
Jun 22, 2021
Report
The Risk of Sexual Assault to Sexual Minorities in the U.S. Military
Service members who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, or who did not indicate that they identify as heterosexual, represented only 12 percent of the active component population in 2018. But they accounted for about 43 percent of all sexually assaulted service members that year.
Jun 1, 2021
Multimedia
The Future of the Special Operations Forces
An overview of testimony by Linda Robinson presented before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations on March 26, 2021.
Apr 19, 2021
Testimony
Special Operations Forces Culture and Climate
What the nation asks of its special operations forces shapes who they are and what they do. Two decades of counterterrorism focus have led to an unbalanced and overused force. How can policymakers and military leaders rebalance the force to meet changing demands and address systemic issues such as its lack of diversity?
Mar 26, 2021
Report
The Behavioral Health of Minority Service Members
Members of minority groups make up a larger percentage of the U.S. military than ever before. Identifying whether and where behavioral health disparities exist among them can help the Department of Defense better address troops' mental health needs and improve force readiness.
Dec 17, 2020
Blog
Most Popular RAND Research of 2019
The search for lasting solutions to difficult policy problems starts with facts. Here are the 10 research projects that rand.org readers engaged with the most in 2019.
Dec 24, 2019

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