{"id":700,"date":"2025-11-14T18:10:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:10:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/?p=700"},"modified":"2025-11-14T18:10:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:10:54","slug":"air-force-rotc-allows-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/air-force-rotc-allows-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force ROTC Allows Women (1969-1970)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-2f685201-2330-4164-812a-f9d16d935192\" href=\"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1970_Air-Force-ROTC-Allows-Women.docx.pdf\">(1970)_Air Force ROTC Allows Women.docx<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1970_Air-Force-ROTC-Allows-Women.docx.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-2f685201-2330-4164-812a-f9d16d935192\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force led all military branches in incorporating women into ROTC, beginning with a trial basis in 1969 and rapidly expanding by 1970 due to overwhelming positive response and increasing demand for female officers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Early History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>1956<\/strong>: WAF (Women&#8217;s Air Force) section introduced into ROTC program as an experimental program<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1956<\/strong>: Janet Marshall of George Washington University was the first woman to enroll in WAF Cadet ROTC Program<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1959<\/strong>: Only 3 WAF ROTC units remained after the Secretary of Air Force ordered phase-out by 1960<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Modern Integration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>1969<\/strong>: Women officially allowed to join Air Force ROTC; pilot program began with women admitted to AFROTC units at several universities during the 1969-70 school year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1970<\/strong>: Air Force ROTC women cadet program expanded to national scope after overwhelmingly positive response to pilot program<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1970<\/strong>: Kathy Thompson (University of Maryland) became the first female cadet to enroll in the program to compete for a commission in the regular Air Force<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1973<\/strong>: Women admitted to AFROTC Junior Program (two-year program)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1973<\/strong>: Ann Orlitzki (University of Connecticut) became the first female Second Lieutenant commissioned through UConn ROTC in May 1973<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legislative Context<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>1967<\/strong>: President Johnson signed Public Law 90-130, lifting grade restrictions and strength limitations on women in the military<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1973<\/strong>: End of the Selective Service (draft) led to radical changes in military recruiting practices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1976<\/strong>: Separate WAF status abolished; women entered the Air Force on an equal basis with men<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>1978<\/strong>: Air Training Command (ATC) assumed responsibility for AFROTC programs; opportunities for undergraduate pilot training afforded to female cadets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Primary Legal Sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Johnson, L. B. (1967, November 8). <em>Remarks upon signing bill providing equal opportunity in promotions for women in the armed forces<\/em>. The American Presidency Project, University of California, Santa Barbara. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presidency.ucsb.edu\/documents\/remarks-upon-signing-bill-providing-equal-opportunity-promotions-for-women-the-armed\">https:\/\/www.presidency.ucsb.edu\/documents\/remarks-upon-signing-bill-providing-equal-opportunity-promotions-for-women-the-armed<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Congress. (1967). <em>Public law 90-130: An act to remove certain restrictions on the careers of female officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps<\/em> [81 Stat. 374]. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/link\/statute\/81\/374\">https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/link\/statute\/81\/374<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Official Military Sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Air Force. (2014, September 19). <em>Women&#8217;s legacy parallels Air Force history<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.af.mil\/News\/Article-Display\/Article\/497548\/womens-legacy-parallels-air-force-history\/\">https:\/\/www.af.mil\/News\/Article-Display\/Article\/497548\/womens-legacy-parallels-air-force-history\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Air Force ROTC. (2023, October 24). <em>Air Force ROTC history<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afrotc.com\/about\/what-defines-us\/history\/\">https:\/\/www.afrotc.com\/about\/what-defines-us\/history\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">University and Educational Institution Sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kansas State University. (n.d.). <em>AFROTC history<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.k-state.edu\/usaf\/about\/afrotchistory.html\">https:\/\/www.k-state.edu\/usaf\/about\/afrotchistory.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texas Christian University. (2025, January 5). <em>Equal opportunities to lead: 50 years of women in TCU ROTC<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcu.edu\/news\/2022\/equal-opportunities-to-lead-50-years-of-women-in-tcu-rotc.php\">https:\/\/www.tcu.edu\/news\/2022\/equal-opportunities-to-lead-50-years-of-women-in-tcu-rotc.php<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">University of Connecticut Archives and Special Collections. (n.d.). <em>Women in ROTC<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/tag\/women-in-rotc\/\">https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/tag\/women-in-rotc\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">University of Maryland Air Force ROTC. (n.d.). <em>Who we are<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/afrotc.umd.edu\/cadre\">https:\/\/afrotc.umd.edu\/cadre<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Academic Publications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air University. (n.d.). <em>Women in the Air Force WAF 1970-1994<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airuniversity.af.edu\/Portals\/10\/AFEHRI\/documents\/EnlistedWomen\/glover.pdf\">https:\/\/www.airuniversity.af.edu\/Portals\/10\/AFEHRI\/documents\/EnlistedWomen\/glover.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News and Media Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Military News. (2012, March 9). <em>Air Force women can trace their history to World War II<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarynews.com\/peninsula-warrior\/news\/top_stories\/air-force-women-can-trace-their-history-to-world-war-ii\/article_1fffff0b-6ace-5fad-9cbe-afcfc8f747bd.html\">https:\/\/www.militarynews.com\/peninsula-warrior\/news\/top_stories\/air-force-women-can-trace-their-history-to-world-war-ii\/article_1fffff0b-6ace-5fad-9cbe-afcfc8f747bd.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reference Works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps<\/em>. (2025). In <em>Wikipedia<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Force_Reserve_Officer_Training_Corps\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Air_Force_Reserve_Officer_Training_Corps<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Women in the United States Air Force<\/em>. (2025). In <em>Wikipedia<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women_in_the_United_States_Air_Force\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women_in_the_United_States_Air_Force<\/a><em>Women&#8217;s Air Force<\/em>. (2025). In <em>Wikipedia<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women_in_the_Air_Force\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Women_in_the_Air_Force<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Air Force led all military branches in incorporating women into ROTC, beginning with a trial basis in 1969 and rapidly expanding by 1970 due to overwhelming positive response and increasing demand for female officers. Early History Modern Integration Legislative Context References Primary Legal Sources Johnson, L. B. (1967, November 8). Remarks upon signing bill [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=700"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":702,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/700\/revisions\/702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}