Active
Component Officers
Gender |
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As shown in Table
4.9, women constituted about 20 percent of officer accessions and 15
percent of the officer corps in FY 1999. The Air Force holds its place
as the most gender-integrated regarding officers, with the Army and
the Navy not far behind. Though the levels of women in the officer
corps are nowhere near college graduate population proportions, sustained
growth has occurred in the representation of women among officers (see
Appendix Tables D-24 and D-29
for trends among accessions and the officer corps since FY 1973).
Commissioning source differences complicate the interpretation of variations in pay grade distributions by gender. For example, direct commissions may provide an early grade boost for women, since advanced degree requirements associated with occupations in the professional echelons are rewarded by DoD with advanced pay grade initially for commissioned officers. However, assignment differences and command restrictions, as well as networking obstacles, may retard retention, continuation, and hence career progression for women. Assignment qualifications, interests, and policy also affect pay grade. In the Air Force, for example, status as a pilot would contribute to enhanced career prospects. (Assignment data are provided later in this chapter in the discussion of occupation areas.)
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