
Ever since the Revolutionary War, that started in 1775, women have served in the American military. Most women served as laundresses, cooks and nurses, but some took things a step further and joined in the fight. Many women disguised themselves as men to participate in combat, but once they were found out they were honorably discharged. Over time women have been allowed into every job offered by the military except those aimed at ground combat with American enemies, which was decided in the 1990s. In 2016, this decision was reversed and women can now choose to be take part in combat jobs, however this decision is being looked at to be repealed with the new administration in the white house. These jobs offered to women in the military over time have reflected the way society views gender and women’s mental and physical capabilities. 

In 1783, the first known women was discovered in a combat role. Deborah Sampson was twenty- years old when she joined General Washington’s army as Robert Shurtleff.  Danuta Bois, a historian says Sampson was not discovered until being hospitalized for a fever because she was as strong as the men in her regiment, due to her time doing hard labor as an indentured servant, and she successfully completed the tasks all the men had to do (Bois). Again during the Mexican war from 1846-1848, the American Civil War from 1861-1865 and the Spanish American War of 1898 more women were discovered disguised as men to enlist as soldiers and according to some historians were very helpful in their combat duties (Time Line, 2008). Women also, during these times disguised themselves as men to spy on their enemies. 

In the last two years of World War I, 1917-1918, women were officially allowed to join the military, but only as nurses and different support staff roles. During World War II female’s jobs expanded to other non- combat roles, such as mechanics, pilots, and ambulance drivers. As the jobs allowed to females expanded many females were subject to combat and becoming prisoners of war. Throughout the Persian Gulf War, 1991- 1992, more than 41,000 women were deployed to the combat zone, but not trained in infantry roles and two were taken captive. Also in 1991, Congress authorizes women to pilot airplanes in combat missions and in 1993 authorized women to serve on combat ships (Time Line, 2008).

After Congress authorization of limited combat roles females began to excel in them. Some examples are Captain Kathleen McGrath who became the first women to command a U. S. Navy warship in 2000, in 2004 Colonel Linda McTague the first women to become commander of a fighter squadron in the U. S. Air Force and Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester becomes the first women to receive the Silver Star, in 2005, for combat action (Time Line, 2008). In 2012, the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced that women would gradually be allowed to serve in combat roles and by 2016 all combat jobs, about 220,000 will be open to all unless branches of the military ask for specific exemptions. By December 2015 the Air Force and Navy had already integrated women to almost all combat positions. These expansions in female authorized jobs and the accomplishments made by women in combat jobs, though challenging for both genders, shows that women can bring another talented pool of eligible soldiers for military combat (Rosenberg, 2015). 
