Events
2018
Trailblazers Workshop
March 24, 2018: Dr. Haring and Ms. Rico facilitated a day-long workshop in Killeen, Texas. The Trailblazers workshop provided infantry and armor women tools for successfully integrating into combat arms units.
2017
Combat Integration Update Briefing:
April 5, 2017: In 2013, the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the repeal of the rule that prohibited women from being assigned to combat jobs and combat units. The Services were directed to develop and complete integration implementation plans by the end of 2015. Military and civilian experts examined the progress made toward full integration and the challenges that remain.
2016
The Continuum of Harm in the U.S. Armed Forces
April 25, 2016: Despite significant investments of time and money by the military to reduce interpersonal violence and educate service members on appropriate interpersonal behaviors; bias, harassment and sexual assault continue to be a major problem in the armed forces. To solve the military sexual assault problem, it is critical that leaders, policymakers and individuals understand the Continuum of Harm which connects a broad range of deeply rooted beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that lead to sexual violence. During this event, organizational and individual approaches to tackling these challenges will be examined. Participants include psychologists, practitioners, researchers and DOD officials who are working to end military sexual violence. This session is designed to increase awareness of the various forms of interpersonal violence and expand the discussion about preventing and eliminating these behaviors.
Operationalizing Combat Integration
February 4, 2016: Hosted by the Service Women’s Action Network, the conference featured academic experts, organizational change practitioners, and military professionals providing advice on how to successfully implement change. The conference was intended to educate past and present service members, the media, policymakers, and DOD civilians and military leaders responsible for implementing this change. Topics included the following: Managing Operational Change, Analysis, and Recommendations for the Service Implementation Plans, and Best Practices for Combat Units.
2015
Analysis of the Marine Corps study by Ellen Haring and Megan MacKenzie,
October 14, 2015: Read Ellen Haring and Megan MacKenzie’s analysis of the October 2015 Marine Corps study on the integration of women into combat occupations.
Challenging DoD’s Institutional Barriers: Female Rangers Lead the Way to Gender Integration
August 27, 2015: WIIS co-hosted a networking event with distinguished guests to discuss and reflect on the recent graduation of two women from the U.S. Army Ranger School. 1st Lt. Shaye Haver and Capt. Kristen Griest received their Ranger tabs on August 21, 2015, becoming the first women ever to successfully complete the U.S. Army’s Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA. The graduation of two women from a grueling course that puts a premium on physical strength and endurance is a testament to women’s desire and ability to perform in combat roles.
Women In Combat: Lessons Learned from Cultural Support Teams
July 12-14, 2015: A discussion was held on the topic of Women in Combat with former members of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Cultural Support Teams (CSTs). The CSTs consisted of small teams of U.S. servicewomen who were specially selected, trained, and deployed in support of special operations missions in Afghanistan. The women served with Ranger teams during direct action missions and on Special Forces teams during village stability operations. What did these teams do while supporting special operations forces? What challenges did they face as they integrated the all-male Special Forces and Ranger teams? How did their deployment help the mission in Afghanistan? What lessons can they share for integrating women into combat units? These questions and more were addressed at this event. Read the Latest Policy Briefing Report on CSTs here: Policy Brief – Women in Combat- CSTs.
Women in Combat: Where They Stand
April 27, 2015: Women in International Security, Alliance for National Defense, the Reserve Officer’s Association and No Exceptions hosted a half-day event to examine what has changed for US servicewomen since the 2013 rescission of the Department of Defense ground combat exclusion policy. Watch the C-SPAN coverage of the event here.
2014
Women in Combat Units: The Experiences of Partner Nations
May 1, 2014: During a symposium on Women in Combat Units: The Experiences of Partner Nations on Capitol Hill today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine reiterated his strong support for the decision to lift the ban on women in combat. Kaine, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, sponsored the symposium, which included firsthand accounts from women who recently returned from serving in combat. Find more information about the event agenda and speakers here.
2013
Women in Combat, Past Integration Efforts
February 1, 2013: Women who’ve served in the U.S. military discuss their experiences and challenges, and comment on the Pentagon recently lifting its ban on women in combat. They were joined by women who’ve served in Canadian and Norwegian military. The event was hosted by the Stockholm Institute and the Service Women’s Action Network.
Women Who Have Served in Combat
February 1, 2013: American women who served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan talked about their experiences and commented on the Pentagon’s recent lifting of the ban on women in combat. The event was hosted by the Stockholm Institute and the Service Women’s Action Network.
Women in Combat, Implications of Full Integration
February 1, 2013: Panelists talked about the implications of the removal of the ban on women in combat. Panelists included an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued the Pentagon over the ban, a law professor, and a legislative assistant who gave the congressional perspective. The event was hosted by the Stockholm Institute and the Service Women’s Action Network.
Lifting Combat Restrictions for Women Panel
February 1, 2013: Panelists, including men and women who served in the military, talk about their experiences with integration, and give their recommendations on how best to proceed now that the restriction on women in combat has been removed.
Briefing Papers
2014
January 28, 2014: Integration of Women in Ground Combat: A Snap Shot One Year Later
2013
July 2013: Four Critical Elements of Successful Integration by Kerry Crawford
Reports
2015
September 28, 2015: All Military Jobs Should Be Open to Women, Including Those in the Marine Corps. No Exceptions
September 28, 2015: Marine Corps Study Analysis
April 2015: Combat Integration Status Report
January 22, 2015: Combat Integration: A Snapshot Two Years Later
January 1, 2015: Combat Integration: Status Update
2013
June 2013: A Review of the Implementation Plans for the Elimination of the Direct Ground Combat Assignment Rule
Articles and Press Releases
2018
April 13, 2018: Will Letting Women Fight Fix Gender Equality?
2017
August 29, 2017: Commentary: ‘Leaders First’ is a Failed Policy
April 3, 2017: First Woman to Command a Brigade in Combat Looks Back on Army Career
March 30, 2017: 2 Female Infantry Officers Set To Graduate Ranger School
March 8, 2017: TIMELINE: A History Of Women In The US Military
2016
December 1, 2016: First women Armor officers graduate basic leadership course
2015
December 3, 2015: The United States Armed Forces Opens all Combat Roles to Women by Dr. Chantal de Jonge Oudraat for WIIS Global
October 20, 2015: Nonprofits engaged in debate over women in combat by Mark Athitakis for Associations Now
October 17, 2015: ‘Flawed’ study casts doubts on mixed-gender units in US marine corps by Joanna Walters for The Guardian
October 15, 2015: Marine Corps Study Finds No Detriment to Morale in Mixed-Gender Combat Units by Dave Philipps for The New York Times
October 15, 2015: Marine reports show path to women in combat by
October 15, 2015: In Marine unit focused on integrating women, seven sex assaults reported by Dan Lamothe for The Washington Post
October 14, 2015: Exclusive access to Marine Corps study shows it misses the mark by Ellen Haring and Megan MacKenzie.
July 6, 2015: Deck stacked against women in experimental task force by Col. Ellen Haring (ret.) for Marine Corps Times
June 10, 2015: 1st Female Soldier Graduates Jungle Warfare School for Military1.com
May 29, 2015: Can Women Be Infantry Marines? by Col. Ellen Haring (ret.) for War on the Rocks
February 26, 2015: Can Women Cut It In Combat?: Of course. If they can, let’s add them to the cutting edge. We will need them by Lt. Robert Bateman for Esquire
January 16, 2015: Rangers are NOT leading the way by Col. Ellen Haring (ret.) for Foreign Policy
January 3, 2015: Want to make the military more effective?: Address the problem of sexual assault by Robert Egnell for Foreign Policy
2013
September 2013: For a Limited Time Only: Setting women Marines up for success by Capt. Katelyn van Dam for Marine Corps Gazette
September 5, 2013: A Col.’s View of Commander’s Authority by Col. Ellen Haring (ret.) for Foreign Policy
August 1, 2013: Women and the Audie Murphy Model by Col. Ellen Haring (ret.) for the Armed Forces Journal
Summer 2013: Women in Battle: Gender Perspectives and Fighting by Robert Egnell for Parameters
Summer 2013: Women in Battle: What Women Bring to the Fight by Col. Ellen Haring for Parameters
3rd Quarter 2013: Insights From the Women in Combat Symposium by Col. Ellen Haring for Joint Forces Quarterly
June 24, 2013: To Stop Sexual Assault Against Women in the US Military Add More Women by Col. Ellen Haring and Anne Coughlin for The Christian Science Monitor
June 20, 2013: In the Army Sex Discrimination Begins at West Point by Anne M. Coughlin and Col. Ellen L. Haring for The Washington Post
February 19, 2013: Making a Case for Females on the Front Lines by Mary Jennings Hegar for The Houston Chronicle
January 26, 2013: A Woman Who Has Already Seen Combat by Mary Jennings Hegar for National Public Radio
2012
November 2012: Marines or Marines*? by Chris and Jeannette Haynie for Proceedings Magazine
Interviews
2017
Fighting to Fight: Women in the Military Part 1
It has been one year since combat roles opened up to all women in the military including the Marine Corps infantry. But, just as women were signing up as grunts for the first time in history a scandal rocked the institution.
Since the restricted combat roles opened up to women in the Corps last April, only 25 have made the cut, including three who joined the infantry as enlisted Marines.
Fighting to Fight Women in the Military Part 2
Two women, former Marines, share their stories about working in a male dominated world and the double standard they say exists.
2015
First Women Soldiers Complete U.S. Ranger Training
August 18, 2015: Senior Fellow Ellen Haring provided insight as to what women graduating from Ranger School means for the future of women in the security field.
Will the first women to finish Ranger School change what’s off limits in the military?
August 18, 2015: For the first time, two women completed the Army’s rigorous Ranger School training program. But unlike their fellow male graduates, they were not yet allowed to serve in elite Ranger units, due to the Pentagon’s current ban on women in combat. Judy Woodruff discussed this with Gayle Tzemach Lemmon of the Council on Foreign Relations and retired Col. Ellen Haring of Women in International Security.
2013
November 19, 2013: Women like Kayla were successfully serving as imbedded members of combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan. They were being used in ways that clearly violated the intent of the combat exclusion policy. Kayla Williams is a former sergeant and Arabic linguist in a Military Intelligence company of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Ellen Haring is a colonel in the US Army reserves. She is a senior fellow with Women in International Security where she directs the Combat Integration Initiative project.