Population Representation 2004 - Active Component Enlisted Applicants and Accessions

ACTIVE COMPONENT ENLISTED APPLICANTS AND ACCESSIONS

Gender. Figure 2.2 illustrates the trend in the proportion of female recruits since the start of the All Volunteer Force. Appendix Table D-5 shows the number and proportion of NPS female accessions by Service in FY 1964 and FYs 1970 through 2004. The Air Force traditionally has the largest proportion of women recruits and the Marine Corps the smallest, in part a result of the number of positions open to women in these Services.

Fig 2-2

Figure 2.2. Women as a percentage of Active Component NPS accessions, FYs 1972–2004.

The proportion of NPS women accessing into the Services, 17 percent in FY 2004, is not comparable to female representation in the civilian population (50 percent). One reason for the difference is the lower inclination of women than men to apply for and enter the military. [Footnote 21] The gender-integration policy, in effect for nine years, contributed to a continued gradual increase in the number and percentage of women enlisting in the Services. [Footnote 22] However, the enlistment of women in FY 2004, comparable to FY 1994, was slightly lower than in FYs 1995-2003. This is likely a result of the relatively low level of propensity as well as other factors influencing enlistment decisions, such as economic and force deployment conditions.

Under a gender-neutral recruiting program since FY 1990, the Air Force leads the Services in the proportion of female accessions. The Air Force had increased its proportion of female recruits, from 20 percent in FY 1990 to 28 percent in FY 1997, followed by slight gradual decreases in the last seven years to 22 percent in FY 2004 (see Table D-5). When the Navy adopted a gender-neutral recruiting policy in FY 1994, the proportion of women accessions in the Navy increased 3 percentage points (from 17 percent in FY 1994 to 20 percent in FY 1995). However, the Navy dropped its gender-neutral recruiting policy because of constrained berthing facilities on Navy vessels. The Navy’s decision to rescind gender-neutral recruiting may have been a factor in the 6-percentage-point drop of female accessions from FY 1995 to FY 1997 (from 20 to 14 percent). [Footnote 23] However, the Navy was able to recruit a significantly larger proportion of women—17 to 19 percent—each year since FY 1997. The Services maintained 17 percent female accessions in FY 2004.

[Footnote 21] The Department of Defense Youth Polls indicate that young women are approximately one-half less inclined to join the military than young men. [back to paragraph]

[Footnote 22] Memorandum from William Perry, Secretary of Defense, Subject: Application of the Definition of Direct Ground Combat and Assignment Rule, July 28, 1994. [back to paragraph]

[Footnote 23] Born, D.H., Women in the Military-Trends 1990 to 1996 (Washington, DC: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense [Force Management Policy/Accession Policy]). [back to paragraph]

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