Every March, Women’s History Month invites us to reflect on the millions of women who pushed doors open and the generations of military women who walked through them.

The most recent federal data shows that women represent approximately 17.7% of the active-duty force, totaling 231,741 members, and 21.4% of the National Guard and reserves, totaling 171,000 members. Meanwhile, in the civilian world, there are now more than 2.1 million women veterans in the United States.

These women serve – or have served – in every branch of the military, in roles from logistics and intelligence to aviation, cybersecurity and senior command.

This Women’s History Month is a moment to celebrate the women who paved the way and the determination that has allowed them to serve and make a difference.

Women’s Role in U.S. Military History
Women have played a vital role in the U.S. military for more than 200 years, stepping up in moments of national urgency across conflicts and generations.

For instance, after Clara Barton carried medical supplies to the front lines and tended to ill and wounded soldiers during the Civil War, she founded the American Red Cross, establishing the nation’s first centralized system for disaster relief and wartime aid.

A few decades later, in World War I, 20,000 women served as nurses for the American Red Cross, with more than 20,000 additional nurses serving for the Army Nurse Corps. Thousands more women served as translators, ambulance drivers, switchboard operators and factory workers.

By WWII, women’s military contributions expanded dramatically, opening the doors for every woman to serve in the military.

Della Hayden Raney, a six-time recipient of military awards, became the first African American woman to be commissioned in the Army Nurse Corps. Carmen Contreras-Bozak, a highly decorated multilingual interpreter, became the first Hispanic woman to serve in the Women’s Army Corps. And Susan Ahn Cuddy broke gender and racial barriers by becoming the first Asian American woman to join the U.S. Navy, later becoming the Navy’s first female gunnery officer.

These pioneers served alongside millions of other women who strengthened war efforts. More than 2 million women entered the workforce as the “Rosies,” filling the jobs men left behind when they went to war. Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard’s women reserve – otherwise known as the SPARs – comprised 10,000 women who filled air traffic, logistics, clerical and radio operator positions to free up men for combat.

Whether they were medics, factory workers, service members, telephone operators or military spouses, these women broke barriers, redefined service and expanded what leadership looks like in uniform.

Today, their legacies continue to shape women’s roles in the military and their growing importance in national defense.

U.S. Military Women Today
Women are now one of the fastest-growing segments of the veteran population.

In 2000, women made up just 4% of the veteran population. And by 2040, that number is projected to jump to 18%. The modern military is also more representative than at any point in its history. Nearly 43% of active-duty women represent a racial or ethnic minority, compared to 29% of active-duty men. Forty-five percent of active-duty women are also married, and 70% have a child.

Women are also serving in a wider range of specialties than ever before – including combat roles. They command units, fly fighter jets, serve on combat ships, lead cyber operations and hold high-ranking positions across every branch.

Now, veterans like Major General Jeannie Leavitt, the first female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and Lieutenant General Nadja West, the Army’s 44th Surgeon General and the highest-ranking female graduate of the United States Military Academy, continue to shape the history and legacy of women in the military.

There Is Room for Everyone in the Military
In many ways, the military is a melting pot, reflective of the diversity of skills, background and cultures that make up the United States.

Service members often travel to new regions of the U.S. and world, exposing them to new cultures and perspectives they may never have encountered otherwise. It offers structure, travel, education benefits, leadership training and a sense of purpose.

For young women seeking direction, stability or opportunity, military service can be a powerful launchpad. There is a role for nearly every skill set: finance specialists, logistics professionals, security experts, healthcare workers, engineers, analysts and administrators all contribute to mission success.

Increasing Awareness and Support for Women Veterans
Historically, many programs, clinics and outreach materials centered on men as the primary audience. But fortunately, institutions are evolving and encompassing greater definitions of what it means to be a veteran.

Dedicated women’s health clinics now exist within many VA facilities, ensuring greater access to female providers and programs addressing reproductive health, maternity care coordination and trauma-informed mental health services.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has also expanded women-specific health services and created the Center for Women Veterans to advocate for policy and programming tailored to women’s needs.

And alongside Mission Roll Call, organizations like Women Veterans Alliance and Service Women’s Action Network are continuing to elevate women veterans’ voices and needs to ensure every veteran feels they have the support they need to thrive after service.

However, not every veteran knows these resources are available, which is why strengthening outreach and awareness to ensure every woman veteran is aware of the full range of care, benefits and community support available to them is a continuous priority for Mission Roll Call.

Resources are available.
Our Veterans Resources Directory (VRD) is a free, easy-to-use directory that connects veterans to trusted alternative health, healing and assistance organizations – including women-specific programs – across the country. Find the assistance you need through the VRD.

Still Serving
The nurses who cared for injured soldiers in the Civil War, the operators who connected calls under fire during WWI, the pilots who ferried bombers in WWII and the commanders, cyber officers, combat soldiers, medics, mechanics and intelligence professionals serving today are all part of the same story.

And when those women leave the military, they’re not leaving that service behind. They carry it with them, through leadership, resilience, technical expertise and a deep understanding of camaraderie and teamwork. Women veterans also become business owners, educators, engineers, advocates and mentors leading the next generation of service members and veterans.

At Mission Roll Call, we strongly believe that supporting service members means supporting everyone who serves. Everyone has a place in the military and each of their contributions and sacrifices is valued. That’s why we continue to champion veteran concerns and needs, ensuring every veteran has access to a support system made up of colleagues, peers and a veteran community that tirelessly works in their best interest.

A Look Ahead
Women’s History Month is a reminder that progress doesn’t happen by accident; it happens through the strong, courageous women who take the first step and set precedents for the women after them.

Looking ahead, the goal is to continue building a system that recognizes the lasting contributions women have made to the U.S. military and to ensure every woman knows there is a community of veterans and systems that stand ready to support them – during their service and after they hang up their uniform.

 Your Voice Matters.
Veteran concerns and feedback continuously shape our outreach and advocacy efforts. And participating in our monthly polls ensures your voice is heard. Our monthly survey page updates the first week of every month with a new theme related to pressing veteran issues and priorities. Participate in our open polls today.