Breaking through the Brass Ceiling: Women Soldiers in the American Military

This thesis addresses the integration of women soldiers into the
masculine-dominated institution of the United States military services. It
chronicles the history of women as soldiers from the Revolutionary War to the
present conflict in Iraq. This study first examines the gendered
marginalization of women in the United States military, investigating and
analyzing women's participation in the areas of recruitment, training,
deployment, and rank, establishing that women are marginalized. Following .
that examination, I argue that women soldiers are agents using the court
system to challenge their marginalized identity as soldiers. I conclude by
suggesting that women soldiers are working to achieve a critical mass that will
empower them to change the military from within.