Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / Women in the military are considered a minority population. Recent numbers reflect a 16% representation by women in the total Armed Forces population, with the Air Force displaying the largest proportion (17%), while the Marine Corps has the smallest proportion (6%). Multiple Defense organizations have expressed concern about the progression of women officers into senior leadership positions and the barriers they face to their continued success in the military. This thesis explores the officer career path experienced by women officers progressing through the ranks, primarily during the mid-level grades of Captain (O-3) through Lt Colonel (O-5). It specifically examines women in the United States Marine Corps and Air Force because these two branches of service currently maintain the smallest and largest proportion of women, respectively. The researchers examined the demographic composition of the individual service communities and conducted personal interviews with mid-level (O-3 to O-5) and senior (O-6 and above) officers to investigate any commonalities paralleling the military to the civilian sector. Specifically, this inquiry looks at the "glass ceiling" effect and any strong similarities or differences that may exist between the Marine Corps and the Air Force. Resulting information is expected to reveal a better understanding of military women's career progression and factors that may exist in today's Armed Services, which influence their decision to continue or separate from the military. / Captain, United States Air Force / Major, United States Marine Corps

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited / Botswana remains one of the few countries in the world (and the only country in the South African Development Community (SADC)) where females are legally prohibited from joining the military. The political and social pressure in the 21st century has softened the opposition of many influential politicians and bureaucrats to calls for inclusionary statutes. This thesis examines the possibility of opening doors to women in the Botswana Defence Force (BDF). It examines the policies, programs and scope of the role of women in the US armed services, Canadian Forces (CF) and the South African National Defence Forces (SANDF). It identifies from these highlights the most effective approaches to recruiting, training, and retaining women in the BDF once the opportunity is availed. In particular, this thesis examines the Six critical policies of the US armed services and the CF, namely, sexual harassment, fraternization, employment of women, equal opportunity, pregnancy, and family care. This thesis considers the lessons from these for the BDF. Two critical cases of sexual harassment, (the 1991 Tailhook Navy and Marine Corps Convention and the 1996 US Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground incident), are highlighted in the study. The leading recommendations emphasize the need for the BDF to take the steps required to evoke a cultural change to affect the attitudes and perceptions of personnel and to examine how the SANDF administers its policies as they pertain to women. / Major, Botswana Defence Force

Thesis (M.A. in International Security and Civil Military Relations)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Karen Guttieri, Donald Abenheim, J. Holmes Armstead. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oklahoma, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.

Women have long been confronted with challenges to their "right" to participate in the labor force on a level equal to men. I posit that this confrontation is situated in a conflict over gendered roles and the "appropriateness" of certain jobs for women. Such an arrangement sets up a contradiction for women in the military. If a woman possesses those attributes seen as desirable, she may be seen as violating traditional gender norms. Yet, a woman possessing attributes seen as feminine may be viewed as not possessing those attributes required to be a "good soldier." Is there a narrowly defined range of acceptable behaviors for women in the military? Are there penalties for women who are perceived to be "too feminine" or "too masculine?" What might those penalties be? Finally, do women employ strategies to manage gender and, if so, what types of strategies do they employ? About two-thirds of the women in this study believe that there are penalties for women perceived as "too feminine" or "too masculine." Women who are perceived as "too feminine" face a number of penalties such as being perceived as weak, incompetent, or sexually available. The dominant penalty for being perceived as "too masculine" is to be labeled a lesbian. Forty-one percent of respondents acknowledged utilizing strategies to manage perceptions of gender. Of this group, seventy-one percent strategize toward femininity only. Seventeen percent strategize toward both femininity and masculinity and twelve percent strategize toward masculinity only. While lesbian and bisexual women were more likely to indicate that penalties exist, they were no more likely than heterosexual women to engage in management strategies. This research adds to our knowledge of how women negotiate gender conflicts. It provides empirical support for the claim that gender is not simply a role, but is an ongoing accomplishment situated within everyday encounters. Additionally, the barriers that women confront have as their foundation a complex interweaving of social constructions of gender and sexuality. By examining this relationship, this research contributes to theory which examines the intersection of gender and sexuality, and its impact on women throughout society.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, March 2004. / Thesis advisor(s): Gail F. Thomas, Leslie E. Sekerka. Includes bibliographical references (p. 139-143). Also available online.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-163). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2009. / Directed by Karen Kilcup; submitted to the Dept. of English. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 17, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-82).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 91 p.; also includes graphics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-91). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center