Page 104 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2022

WOMEN
WARRIO
Opportunities for Women in the Military
story by Gabbie Bowden
The military is an integral part of South Mississippi, with Keesler Air Force Base, the Seabees, the National Guard, and the Coast Guard bringing their own unique cultures and career opportunities to our area. With the military so visible in our community, many women may wonder if a job in the service is right for them. While the military
is still largely dominated by men, in 2015, all military occupations and specialties opened to women – including combat. Currently, a greater proportion of women are commissioned officers when compared with men.
However, there’s a lot more to military service than physically intense combat roles. The opportunities for women in the military have never been better and can offer a fulfilling career in a wide variety
of fields. For all branches, the top career fields
for women in the military include administration, medicine, and communication. Marine Colonel Amy Ebitz tells Brookings.edu that “the military absolutely embodies the equal-pay-for-equal-work principle. Regardless of your gender, your pay will be equal to others with the same time in service and qualifications.”
While the Army boasts the largest number of enlisted women, women choose to go into the
Air Force more than any other branch of the military. CNAS.com reports that “Women made
up 20 percent of Air Force enlisted ranks in 2018 compared to 18.8 percent in 2013; women were 21.2 percent of Air Force officers in 2018 compared to 19.6 percent in 2013. The Air Force has had female leadership in top civilian roles – including five female secretaries of the Air Force, while the other services have had no female senior leadership, civilian or military – and more female general officers than any other branch bar the Navy.”
Many women are interested in joining the military due to its phenomenal education and retirement benefits. Women and men in university
104 | September 2022
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