Heels on the Ground: An Analysis of Female Combat Leadership Roles in the United States Army

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to inform the reader about issues that women face when serving in combat leadership roles in the United States Army. In order to accomplish its goal, the thesis analyzes the current policies of three states’ militaries—the United States, Israel, and Norway—focusing particularly on their respective integration of women into combat arms roles. This thesis also highlights important data and studies that contribute to the discourse on women’s roles in combat, and assesses possible alternatives to current policy towards female combat leadership roles. The work examines the effects of current U.S. Army policies towards female combat leaders on combat soldiers and combat units. The conclusion proposes a series of policy recommendations as well as areas for future research in the arena of female combat leadership roles.