{"id":704,"date":"2025-11-14T18:16:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:16:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/?p=704"},"modified":"2025-11-14T18:16:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T18:16:19","slug":"women-to-command-units","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/women-to-command-units\/","title":{"rendered":"Allowed Women to Command Units that Included Men (1972)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-53e5dcb4-5c19-4f97-b173-c486954cbc18\" href=\"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1972_Allowed-Women-to-Command-Units-that-Included-Men.docx.pdf\">(1972)_Allowed Women to Command Units that Included Men.docx<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1972_Allowed-Women-to-Command-Units-that-Included-Men.docx.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-53e5dcb4-5c19-4f97-b173-c486954cbc18\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Related Policy Changes&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1971: Army regulations permitted women to remain on active duty if pregnant (April 9, 1971)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1972: Women entered Army ROTC (September 1972)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1972: First women attended Drill Sergeant Courses (February 1972)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1972: August 1972 &#8211; All military occupational specialties opened to women except combat roles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1972, the U.S. military lifted its ban on women commanding units that included men. This policy change occurred alongside Secretary of the Army Robert F. Froehlke&#8217;s approval in August 1972 to open all military occupational specialties to women (except those requiring combat training or duty). This expansion came as the Army transitioned to an all-volunteer force and reflected a broader recognition that women could serve in far greater capacity than previously allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Primary Legal Documents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Women&#8217;s Armed Services Integration Act, Pub. L. No. 80-625, 62 Stat. 356 (1948). Established the legal framework for permanent female military service, though with restrictions including the prohibition on women commanding men (lifted in 1972).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Public Law 90-130, 81 Stat. 374 (1967). Removed caps on female officer promotions and opened general\/flag officer ranks to women, paving the way for expanded command opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Military Documentation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Army Heritage Center Foundation. (2020, September 11). <em>Great strides forward: Women in the Army, 1966-present<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.armyheritage.org\/soldier-stories-information\/great-strides-forward-women-in-the-army-1966-present\/\">https:\/\/www.armyheritage.org\/soldier-stories-information\/great-strides-forward-women-in-the-army-1966-present\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Academic and Scholarly Sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Books<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Devilbiss, M. C. (1990). <em>Women and military service: A history, analysis, and overview of key issues<\/em>. Air University Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Holm, J. M. (1982). <em>Women in the military: An unfinished revolution<\/em>. Presidio Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Holm, J. M. (1992). <em>Women in the military: An unfinished revolution<\/em> (Rev. ed.). Presidio Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Internet Archive Access:<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/womeninmilitary00jean\">https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/womeninmilitary00jean<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roth, T. L. (2017). <em>Her Cold War: Women in the U.S. military, 1945-1980<\/em>. University of North Carolina Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scholarly Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Baldwin, J. N. (1996). Female promotions in male-dominated organizations: The case of the United States military. <em>The Journal of Politics, 58<\/em>(4), 1184-1197. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/2960157\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/2960157<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Miller, L. L. (1997). Not just weapons of the weak: Gender harassment as a form of protest for Army men. <em>Social Psychology Quarterly, 60<\/em>(1), 32-51. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/2787009\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/2787009<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Segal, M. W. (1978). Women in the military: Research and policy issues. <em>Youth and Society, 10<\/em>(2), 101-126. <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0044118X7801000201\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0044118X7801000201<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Segal, M. W., &amp; Hansen, A. F. (1992). Value rationales in policy debates on women in the military: A content analysis of Congressional testimony, 1941\u20131985. <em>Social Science Quarterly, 73<\/em>(2), 296\u2013309.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zeigler, S. L., &amp; Gunderson, G. G. (2019). Historical policies affecting women&#8217;s military and family roles. <em>Armed Forces &amp; Society, 46<\/em>(2), 243-265.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Journalistic and News Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">American Civil Liberties Union. (2024, October 17). <em>Combat exclusion policy for women<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/issues\/womens-rights\/womens-rights-workplace\/combat-exclusion-policy-women\">https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/issues\/womens-rights\/womens-rights-workplace\/combat-exclusion-policy-women<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. (n.d.). <em>An observance for Women&#8217;s History in the military<\/em>.&nbsp; https:\/\/www.dvidshub.net\/news\/442006\/observance-womens-history-military&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">History of women in the military. (n.d.). <em>Garmont Tactical<\/em>. <a href=\"https:\/\/garmonttactical.com\/post\/women-in-the-military.html\">https:\/\/garmonttactical.com\/post\/women-in-the-military.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Navy will send women to sea, opening way to combat service. (1972, August 9). <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, pp. A1, A4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Government Archives and Digital Collections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Binker, M., Veterans History Project, Library of Congress, &amp; Holm, J. M. (1942-2003). <em>Jeanne M. Holm collection<\/em> [Collection]. Library of Congress, Veterans History Project. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/afc2001001.04293\/\">https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/afc2001001.04293\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burrelli, D. F. (2012, April 5). <em>Women in combat: Issues for Congress<\/em> (Report No. R42075). Congressional Research Service. <a href=\"https:\/\/sgp.fas.org\/crs\/natsec\/R42075.pdf\">https:\/\/sgp.fas.org\/crs\/natsec\/R42075.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Karnack, K. N. (2015). <em>Women in combat: Issues for Congress<\/em> (Report No. R42075). Congressional Research Service.U.S. Congress, Joint Economic Committee, Subcommittee on Priorities and Economy in Government. (1978). <em>The role of women in the military: Hearings before the Subcommittee on Priorities and Economy in Government of the Joint Economic Committee, Congress of the United States, Ninety-Fifth Congress, First Session, July 22 and September 1, 1977<\/em>. U.S. Government Printing Office. <a href=\"https:\/\/fraser.stlouisfed.org\/title\/role-women-military-6091\/fulltext\">https:\/\/fraser.stlouisfed.org\/title\/role-women-military-6091\/fulltext<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Related Policy Changes&nbsp; In 1972, the U.S. military lifted its ban on women commanding units that included men. This policy change occurred alongside Secretary of the Army Robert F. Froehlke&#8217;s approval in August 1972 to open all military occupational specialties to women (except those requiring combat training or duty). This expansion came as the [&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-704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/704","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=704"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":711,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/704\/revisions\/711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riseofmilitarywomen.vt.domains\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}