From the Revolutionary War to present-day conflicts, women have served in the military, officially and unofficially, in both peacetime and war and served as an inspiration to generations of men and women alike.
Women have been contributing service to their country since the Revolutionary War - even when they were denied the ability to fight for their country. Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man in order to help fight the British. She was a scout and spy, and led raids that involved hand-to-hand skirmishes and cannon fire. While she wasn’t enlisted in the Army, she was the only woman to earn a full military pension from the Revolutionary Army.
Nearly a century later during the Civil War, more than 400 women disguised themselves as men and fought for both the Union and Confederate Armies. During this time, Harriet Tubman gathered essential information working with the Union Army to help lead a raid that freed dozens of slaves.
It wasn’t until 1948, when President Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, that women were recognized as full members of the armed forces. While their service was recognized, these early positions were typically in traditional gender roles like nurses, cooks and laundry women. As generations of women continued to serve, they trailblazed their way to more leadership and non-gender specific roles.
Today, women represent 16 percent of Americans in uniform and have reached the top ranks of the military. In 2008, General Ann Dunwoody was the first woman to be appointed a four-star General in the U.S. Army and since then, five other women have achieved this rank. Earlier this month, President Biden appointed two female Generals for 4-star combatant commanders - Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost and Army Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson.
Over the next week, we celebrate the hard-earned and kick-assery of women’s service - whether officially recognized or not.