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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
Book Review: 'Forgotten Warriors: The Long History of Women in Combat' by Sarah Percy
In her book Forgotten Warriors: The Long History of Women in Combat, Sarah Percy offers an expansive and insightful exploration of both the historical record as well as how—and why—it may have been erased.
Nov 30, 2023
Brochure
RAND Research on Military Recruiting
The Department of the Air Force seeks more diversity and technical knowledge in its recruits and the pool of eligible candidates who have a desire to serve is shrinking. This document provides an overview of work that RAND has conducted in this area.
Nov 13, 2023
Blog
Supporting Veterans, Israel-Hamas War, AI and Geopolitics: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on supporting America's veterans, what Israel's ground offensive in Gaza can and cannot accomplish, how AI might affect the rise and fall of nations, and more.
Nov 10, 2023
Report
Examples of Why Gender Diversity Matters in Military Missions
Studies suggest that peace and security efforts are more likely to succeed when women play a role in them. Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is the recognition of women's impact on peace and security decisionmaking, and the disproportionate impact that conflict has on women. WPS principles and gender perspectives have been applied in DoD mission areas.
Oct 18, 2023
Research Brief
Military Academy Students Can Now Retain Parental Rights: Department of Defense Options for Managing the Change
As of 2023, DoD allows enrolled cadets and midshipmen to retain parental rights. This brief explores potential DoD policy changes that could help cadet and midshipman parents care for their children, succeed in school, and become exemplary officers.
Aug 22, 2023
Report
Ensuring Parental Rights of Military Service Academy Cadets and Midshipmen: Policy and Cost Implications
This report characterizes legal, policy, practice, and cost implications of U.S. Department of Defense options to comply with a new congressional requirement allowing service academy cadets and midshipmen who become parents to retain parental rights.
Aug 22, 2023
Commentary
Book Review: 'Delete the Adjective: A Soldier's Adventures in Ranger School' by Lisa Jaster
In Delete the Adjective: A Soldier's Adventures in Ranger School, Lisa Jaster recounts her experience as one of the first three women to graduate from U.S. Army Ranger School. Her book is a compelling argument that “adjectives are descriptors, not limiters” of what people can accomplish.
Aug 4, 2023
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
Commentary
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
Commentary
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

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Joslyn Fleming

Defense Policy Researcher

Joslyn Fleming is a defense policy researcher at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Fleming specializes in military logistics, with a particular interest in how to plan for logistics in future operating concepts. She also has helped initiate and grow the…
Laura L. Miller

Senior Social Scientist

Laura L. Miller is a senior social scientist at the RAND Corporation. For more than 30 years she has studied the lives of military personnel and their families through surveys, observations, discussion groups, one-on-one interviews, and analyses of military policy and personnel data. Research…

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