Overview 
 

The resurrected debate over women in combat roles is political theater. Stop politicizing our warfighters and let them do their jobs. 
 

Women always have and will continue to serve with distinction in all specialties and units within the military. The United States has the most lethal fighting force in the world. The core of this fighting force derives its strength from the people who take an oath to serve. Those very people are under attack by politicians and pundits who question their fitness for duty. 

​

All servicemembers, regardless of gender, earn their place through training and meeting the standards of their job. Removing women from combat roles where they currently serve would disrupt units, cost tens of millions of dollars, and negatively impact readiness for years.  

​

Background

​

During his confirmation hearing, Secretary Hegseth promised Senator Joni Ernst that he would work to “ensure opportunity for women in combat while maintaining high standards, and select a senior official to address and prevent sexual assault in the ranks.”

​

Earlier this year, Secretary Hegseth sent personnel from his office to explore closing Ranger school, a necessary combat training, to women. The effort was initially stymied when, despite their best efforts, his people could find no data that showed standards were lowered for women. 

​

Personnel from the SECDEF office continue to look for data to support their quest to close Ranger School to women, recently acquiring full access to the Ranger School data system. This team includes a DOGE representative so there is concern that data will be manipulated to support their desired end state.

​

Key Points

​

Regardless of policy, women have served in combat roles since the inception of warfare. Since 2013, combat arms jobs have been open to women and thousands of women are serving in combat roles. Leadership demands competence, character, and commitment – not a specific gender.  

​

1. Moving women out of combat positions would be disastrous for lethality and readiness. Over 5,000 women across the military are serving in roles previously closed to them including infantry, armor, and artillery billets. These women were recruited, assessed, trained, and found qualified. They serve in every position from enlisted to non-commissioned officer to officer, and have proven successful in all roles, including company command in Army Infantry and Armor units.

 

2. Replacing 5,000 combat-ready servicemembers in today’s recruiting environment is nonsensical. Nearly 77% of America's youth are not qualified to serve in the military. The Army only made its 2024 recruitment goal because female recruitment increased by 18% (about 10,000 women). Denigrating the contributions of women will negatively impact future recruitment. 

 

3. Removing and replacing these qualified women would cost the military multiple years and tens of millions of dollars. Recruiting is already difficult. Replacing not just enlistees, but officers and senior NCOs would take years of targeted recruiting, inhibiting force readiness. 

 

Common Misconceptions: 
 

1. FALSE: The standards for women are lower at combat schools like Ranger School.
 

There are not (and never have been) gender-based standards at the US Army Ranger School, the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program, or any Army Special Operations Forces Assessment or Selection (Special Forces, Civil Affairs, or Psychological Operations). There is one baseline physical fitness standard that all Ranger candidates must meet to gain entry into the Ranger course. Over 350 women have attempted the course and over 155 have earned their Ranger tabs. During the course, women carry the same amount of weight as the men (close to 100 pounds at times), are graded on the same patrol tactics and even shave their heads just like the male students.
 

2. FALSE: Most Americans oppose women serving in combat roles.
 

72% of Americans surveyed in 2024 oppose new restrictions on women’s ability to serve in military combat roles. Americans want politicians to focus on real issues that affect our quality of life like healthcare, the cost of living, and unemployment. Stop politicizing our warfighters and let them do their jobs. 
 

3. FALSE: Women can be plugged-in to roles as needed on short notice.
 

Integration must be conducted early and often to increase unit effectiveness. Women must be established members of a unit like their male counterparts. A study from Norway shows that unisex berthing increases unit cohesion and information flow. Experience with Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) in the US military showed that women in combat units improve mission success and intelligence-gathering – but denying those same women the infantry training (including Ranger School) that the men had put them at greater risk and reduced unit cohesion, jeopardizing the missions. Using women who had not been integrated into the unit meant things as simple as hand-and-arm signals were not understood, and led to bad outcomes.

 

4. FALSE: Ranger school destroyed women’s records, gave women special accommodations, and was ordered to pass women.

Ranger students patrol records have always been destroyed (WiSCI can verify this back to at least 1985.) Given that over 350 women have attempted Ranger school nearly 500 times with 160 completing the course, it is very hard to argue that the initial women did not also earn their Tab. Once through the initial week of training, women earn their Tab at nearly the same rate as men (around 45% graduation rate.) A woman has “won” the 12 mile foot march event and another woman was selected as the Distinguished Honor Graduate of the course.

 

5. FALSE: Women can’t perform in combat arms and special operations

 

Over 500 women serve as combat arms officers. Women have been the Honor Graduates of the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course in the Army, the Cavalry Leader’s Course and both Ranger and Airborne School. A woman has been named the Officer of the Rotation at the National Training Center and a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Countless women have commanded combat arms companies and served as instructors in combat arms schools. They have earned Combat and Expert Infantry Badges as well as Combat and Expert Soldier Badges. One of the 16 two-person teams to complete the Best Ranger Competition (out of a starting field of 52 teams) included a woman. Many men in combat arms will tell you that the presence of women has forced them to “up their game,” resulting in stronger performance physically, tactically and mentally.

​

Testimony

​

“I went through the Cultural Support Team selection program and graduated Ranger School. Not once did I carry less weight than my male peers…in fact, I carried more because I had to carry the default male packing list (razors, shaving cream) plus the female packing list (tampons, female urinary device, extra packs of baby wipes, and mandatory underwear and bras).”  - former Army Captain

 

“I was in the first Infantry class to be gender-integrated. Every woman in my class surpassed the established standard and earned her blue cord. There was no accommodation for gender or age and I proudly served with those women in the operational force.” - former Infantry officer (male)

​

​

​

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT info@wiscimil.org