The US military saw an increase in reports of sexual assault in the ranks last year
There were a total of 7,825 reports of sexual assault involving U.S. service members in fiscal year 2019, up from 7,623 the year before
Tag: women in military
‘I hope I can show young girls that they are perfectly capable’ — Meet the Army’s only enlisted female diver
Sgt. Stephanie Johnson enlisted in the Army when she was a 28-year-old mother of two, and became the only current enlisted female diver in the service.
First Female Airman to Earn Ranger Tab
Air Force 1st Lt. Chelsey Hibsch is the first female Airman to earn the Ranger tab.
Marine commandant wants the Corps to train more female grunts
The Commandant of the Marine Corps has directed the Corps to immediately go to work on bringing more women into the infantry and other jobs that were previously restricted to men only, according to a Feb. 20 memo obtained by Task & Purpose. “While I am aware of the good work already being done across […]
The Air Force is modifying its song to be more inclusive of women
"Combat … does not discriminate. Neither should we.”
A woman is about to finish Green Beret training for the first time in history
A female National Guard soldier is set to become the first to join the Green Berets
Military service academies see sharp increase in reports of sexual assault
The number of reports of sexual assault at the military service academies is on the rise. A report released by the Defense Department’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office on Thursday shows that there were 149 reports of sexual assaults in the 2018-2019 school year, up from 117 in 2017-2018. The report breaks that number […]
Secretary Robert Wilkie called an allegation of sexual assault at the VA ‘unsubstantiated.’ Investigators say it’s not.
Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie called an allegation of sexual abuse at a D.C. facility “unsubstantiated,” but the department's inspector general responded that just because an investigation is closed, doesn't mean it's a false allegation.
How we found an internal study that showed just how deep sexism runs in the Marine Corps
How We Found Out explores recent reporting from Task & Purpose, answering questions about how we sourced our stories, what challenges we faced, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at how we cover issues impacting the military and veterans community. Following a string of news reports on a private Facebook group called Marines United, where current […]
‘I wanted to prove them wrong’ — How the first enlisted female Guard soldier to graduate Ranger School got it done
Sgt. Danielle Farber was one of the first two female enlisted National Guard soldiers to receive their Ranger tabs
Air Force commissions first female Muslim chaplain in US military history
The Air Force made history last month by commissioning Second Lt. Saleha Jabeen as the first female Muslim chaplain candidate in the military. Though the commission marks a new chapter in American military history, it is only the latest in a long spiritual journey for Jabeen that started 14 years ago, when she first came to the U.S.
We salute the all-women Air Force team that crushed a weapons loading competition dressed as Rosie the Riveter
An all-women team of airmen crushed an aircraft ground crew contest at Aviano Air Base on Tuesday, and they did it in Greatest Generation style. The “Bouncing Bettys,” the first all-female team to compete in Aviano’s Rapid Aircraft Generation and Employment (RAGE) competition, rocked navy blue coveralls and red polka dot bandanas in an ode […]
A Florida nonprofit wants to build a Monument to Women Veterans
A museum and monument dedicated to women veterans could soon stand at the Pensacola's old Amtrak station building. Michelle Caldwell, who is behind the nonprofit Monument to Women Veterans, is in the process of raising money for the roughly $2 million project. The project will include a monument, a museum, a shop and office space for veterans.
‘I gave 100 percent’ — The first female enlisted Guard soldiers have graduated from Army Ranger School
Staff Sgt. Jessica Smiley and Sgt. Danielle Farber received their Ranger Tabs on Dec. 13 after completing the Army's grueling leadership course
More than 600 female Marines and sailors now serving in previously-restricted units
Combat units were closed to women until 2013. Six years later, according to new data released by the Marine Corps, more than 600 female Marines and sailors "are now represented in every previously-restricted occupational field"
An internal investigation spurred by a nude photo scandal shows just how deep sexism runs in the Marine Corps
In the wake of the 2017 Marines United scandal, the Marine Corps studied gender bias and how women were treated. What they found was much larger than a private Facebook group.
For the first time ever, a female Marine has graduated the grueling Basic Reconnaissance course
A Marine lance corporal has become the first female Marine in history to graduate the Basic Reconnaissance Course, earning the military occupational specialty of 0321 Reconnaissance Marine. Lance Cpl. Alexa Barth completed the 12-week course on Nov. 7, said Maj. Kendra Motz, a Marine spokeswoman. Barth previously graduated from the Corps’ Infantry Training Battalion-East, earning […]
A fundraising campaign to make little green Army women absolutely crushed its goal
A Kickstarter campaign to help Scranton, Pennsylvania-based BCM Toys make sets of plastic Army women has far surpassed its fundraising goals
The Marine Corps made an 8 minute birthday video with only 6 seconds of female Marines. So we fixed it for them
As it does every year, the Marine Corps published its birthday message video highlighting Marines past and present, but as Newsweek's Jim Laporta noted on Monday, it has just six seconds of footage of women in an eight minute-long video.
DoD IG: Military sexual assault more likely than combat to result in PTSD
A report released on Monday from the Pentagon's Inspector General says that sexual assault is more likely to result in PTSD than going into combat.
Army leaders aren’t worried about the ACFT, despite women failing at an astronomical rate
Army leaders say that soldiers will have no problem adjusting to the new ACFT once they learn how to train for it.
‘The best America has to offer’ — For the first time ever, two sisters are Army generals
Maj. Gen. Maria Barrett and Brig. Gen. Paula Lodi are sisters and Army generals, a first for the U.S. Army.
Female airman becomes first to earn Army Ranger tab
Air Force 1st Lt. Chelsey Hibsch pinned on her tab during Ranger school graduation at Fort Benning, Georgia, last week
Marine Corps’ first female F-35 pilot makes history
Capt. Anneliese Satz completed F-35B training in June and is headed to her squadron in Japan.
The Navy reportedly booted SEAL Team 7 out of Iraq after a senior enlisted platoon member allegedly raped a female service member
A senior Navy official revealed to the New York Times' David Philipps that a senior enlisted platoon member had allegedly raped a female service member assigned to the SEAL platoon