Military Women in NATO: An Update

The past few years have witnessed policy changes in several of the NATO nations toward greater reliance on female military personnel, and further movement in this direction appears likely. There is great variation among these countries in the extent to which women are included in their armed forces, ranging from those where women are excluded or involved in very limited ways to those where all or a majority of military positions are open to women. The contemporary situation is discussed as are future plans for women's military roles in Alliance nations. Besides a description of current patterns, several dimensions that characterize women's military participation are outlined. Finally, conclusions regarding women's future military roles are offered, based on history and the current situation.