AUL LibGuides: Women in the Air Force: AU Research

Air University Student Research

This following selection of AU student papers is a starting point for research. Some of the papers in this list are available online in AU Library's Digital Collections and more will be made available online in the near future. Please search Air University Library collections for more resources available in the library, in our digital collections, or our databases. Please note that at this time access to the Library's online digital collections is restricted to .mil only. Access to our databases is available for students, faculty and AU staff only.

The documents below are part of Air University Library's student papers collection and are presented in their original form. Some may contain outdated cultural depictions, terminology, or ideas. The views, information, or opinions expressed in these papers are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Air Force, Air University, or Air University Library.

Balancing gender representation : investigating strategies for the retention of females in the USAF
Publication Date: 2022
The utilization of the WAC within the regular Air Force by John L. Harris
Call Number: M-U 32984 H314u
Publication Date: 1948
Utilization of WAF personnel in a theater of operations by Gilbert B. Pearsall
Call Number: M-U 35582 P361u
Publication Date: 1949
Utilization of limited service personnel in the military forces of the United States by Weldon M. Pettit
Call Number: M-U 35582 P511u
Publication Date: 1951
Why WAF? by James H. Bearly
Call Number: M-U 32983 B3681w
Publication Date: 1954
Duty with the Flying Fifinella's by Philip M. Stowell
Call Number: M-U 39055 S893d
Publication Date: 1955
Women power for air power by James G. Ryan
Call Number: M-U 39055 R988w
Publication Date: 1955
Procurement of WAF officers by Lucille B. Dion
Call Number: M-U 35582 D592p
Publication Date: 1957
The Future Need and Role of the WAF in the United States Air Force by Ralph S. Culet "It will be my purpose in the following pages to review the growth of womanpower and women in the military services, to discuss the practicality and economics of a Women in the Air Force (WAF) program as presently constituted and employed, and to appraise the future need and role of WAF airmen in the United States Air Force. While the study will be concerned primarily with WAF airmen, occasional reference will be made to WAF officers; however, a specific appraisal and conclusion will not be made as to the continued need and future role of the officer personnel.
Call Number: M-U 32983 C9672f
Publication Date: 1961
The Economics of Women in the Air Force by Wilton E. Scoggins
Call Number: M-U 35582-7 S422e
Publication Date: 1965
WAF, an asset or liability? by Richard F. Hull
Call Number: M-U 32983 H9131w
Publication Date: 1966
WAF: an outdated acronym by Doyle E. Larson
Call Number: M-U 32983 L3344w
Publication Date: 1971
Women as cadets : an analysis of the issue by John C. Dinsmore
Call Number: M-U 35582-7 D587w
Publication Date: 1974
The Air Force utilization of female officers by Ann P. Couslin The Air Force is currently laboring to perform its relatively stable mission requirements with a reduced number of personnel. The total active duty force is now at its lowest level in many years and continues to decline. At the same time, the number of women entering this force continues to increase. This means that less people, but more of them women, are available to accomplish the Air Force mission. This study examines three career fields that have not been totally open to women: the pilot, navigator, and the missile. Specifically, consideration is given to employing female officers in these three careers. The capabilities of women to perform these duties are investigated and an evaluation is presented of the many complex factors, legal and moral, which are likely to determine future utilization of the Female Line Officer (FLO) within the Air Force.
Call Number: M-U 35582-7 C867a
Publication Date: 1976
Air Force policy for women--platitudes or progress? by George M. Kobernus
Call Number: M-U 35582-7 K751a
Publication Date: 1976
Air Force women in combat by Robert T. Jobin
Call Number: M-U 43122 J62a
Publication Date: 1977
Physical capacity of females to perform heavy craft skills in the United States Air Force by Thomas E. Capps The United States Air Force is increasing the number of women assigned to non-combatant career fields. Physical demands of certain work specialties can exceed the work capacity of female personnel. By comparing the physical demands of existing jobs with known physical capacities, the percentage of American women capable of performing selected tasks can be determined. A significant portion of the female population is not able to perform the tasks evaluated in this study. As a result, screening procedures are needed to ensure workers are physically qualified for jobs before being assigned to them.
Call Number: M-U 43122 C249p
Publication Date: 1977
Women who would be warriors by John W. Ray This article backgrounds the role women have played in war from the days of the Army Air Corps and WASPS to the present. Jobs in which American military women have served are compared with those of their counterparts in several foreign countries. Attitudes toward American service women are noted and their advances in overcoming job discrimination in the service detailed. Efforts are now being made to change policy and law which bars Air Force women from flying combat aircraft. These efforts were enhanced by the decisions to accept women into the Air Force Academy and to establish an Air Force female pilot test program. Some of the psychological, cultural and military implications of American women flying combat missions are discussed. The author concludes by suggesting how the female combat pilot issue should be approached by Air Force leaders.
Call Number: M-U 43117 R2631w
Publication Date: 1978
More women in the Air Force : implications for Air Force supervisors by Joseph R. Sanchez Comments on the changing roles of women in the United States and its impact on our military forces introduces a discussion on the problem of sex role stereotyping of women in the Air Force. The author provides a brief review on the development of basic human attitudes followed by a closer examination on the formation of stereotypes and in particular, sex role stereotypes. The problems of sex role stereotyping are then discussed in an Air Force work environment with specific implications for Air Force supervisors and workers. A brief introduction to the concept of androgyny and a recommendation for its inclusion in the Air Force's human relations education program conclude the study
Call Number: M-U 43117 S211m
Publication Date: 1978
Women on Minuteman missile crews by James R. White
Call Number: M-U 43122 W582w
Publication Date: 1979
History of the integration of women at the Air Force Academy (1972-1979) by Dennis T. Furdek
Call Number: M-U 43122 F981h
Publication Date: 1980
A role for women in the all-volunteer Air Force by Darell R. Whitehead
Call Number: M-U 43122 W592r
Publication Date: 1980
Women aviators in the United States Air Force and combat contingencies--a perspective by Paul E. Huber
Call Number: M-U 43122 H877w
Publication Date: 1980
Women in the Air Force: should the number continue to increase? by Joseph J. Teneza
Call Number: M-U 43117 T289w
Publication Date: 1986
Do we need a quota on the accession of females into the Air Force? by Thomas W. Iskra
Call Number: M-U 43117 I81d
Publication Date: 1986
Female Air Force pilots and combat aircraft "The right stuff has no gender" by Sandra L. Bateman
Call Number: M-U 43122 B628f
Publication Date: 1987
Women in combat : when the best man for the job is a woman by Richard A. McDonald
Call Number: M-U 43117 M1354w
Publication Date: 1991
Mentoring of women in the United States Air Force by Marie Y. Rigotti "Women first entered the Armed Forces almost 50 years ago. Since that time, there has been a steady increase in the number of women in the United States Air Force (USAF). However, as I got promoted I noticed that there were fewer and fewer female officers at the executive-level meetings I attended. This stimulated my interest. I began to wonder how women fared at the USAF's executive levels and how those results compated to women in the civilian sector. This paper documents my findings. It further proposes that the most significant advantage USAF females have over their civilian counterparts is a direct result of senior-level mentoring initiatives. Mentoring is a critical element in the professional growth and development of USAF professionals."
Call Number: M-U 43122 R5721m
Publication Date: 1997
Winning the retention wars : the USAF, women officers, and the need for transformation by Laura A. H. DiSilverio This paper establishes the need to retain more women Air Force officers longer, analyzes survey results revealing women's reasons for separating from the Air Force, and recommends specific retention measures applicable to all members, Demographic data prove that within the next 10 years women will become a larger percentage of the talent pool from which the Air Force draws its officers, Additionally, over that same time period, competition for the available talent will increase, making recruiting and retention harder and more important than they are now, The Air Force Personnel Center's statistics show that a greater percentage of Air Force women than men separate from the Air Force prior to retirement eligibility, As this paper proves, these trends negatively impact recruiting, mentoring, and the overall leadership capacity of the Air Force, A significant body of research also documents that women are effective leaders with different leadership styles than men; corporations and police departments recognize women's value and are actively recruiting them and designing retention programs to retain them Extrapolating from that research, this paper establishes the necessity for including women on the Air Force team, to include the highest ranks of leadership.
Call Number: M-U 43117 D611w
Publication Date: 2002
An original female military aviator : Florene Miller Watson by DeAnna M. Burt The intention of this paper is to explore the history of the WASPS with focus on one of its original members Florene Miller Watson. Florene's personal background puts a face on the individual leadership traits exhibited by the WASPS against the backdrop of the challenges they experienced in the male dominated arena of military aviation. Women in the military today experience many of the same leadership challenges Florene and the WASP faced over 60 years ago.
Call Number: M-U 43122 B973o
Publication Date: 2005
Women in senior leadership in the U.S. Air Force : why so few at the top, and what can be done to shrink the gap? by Alisa C. Ricks In the Air Force today, females clearly have many more opportunities available to them then they had decades ago. Yet while there has been tremendous improvement over the years, males still greatly outnumber females in Air Force senior leadership positions, specifically in the ranks of colonela and geneal. Since there are overwhelmingly more males in the Air Force, one would naturally expect to find fewer women in these senior officer ranks. Once migh also expect to see at least proportionately the same number of females holding senior officer ranks as the number of females who make up all officer ranks -- yet, the statistical data show otherwise. The purpose of this research was to uncover some of the real reasons for so few females in the senior officer ranks, and to determine if their foundations lie in inequities towards females, or whether these reasons were primarily based on females' interests and personal choices. This research effort found that the primary reason for low numbers of female senior officers are indeed not based in inequities, but on females' own preferences. More specifically, these reason are that fewer women enter the Air Force in the first place, creating a smaller pool of female officers; not enough females have chosen operational career paths as pilots; and many potentially high-quality female officers choose to separate largely because of family issues. While the reasons for a low number of female senior officers do not appear to be rooted in discrimination, some officers, more female than male, still perceive that a small degree of prejudice towards females exists in today's Air Force. Thus, the Air Force should still make efforts to shrink the gap between male and female senior officers. This research recommends female officers seek out mentors and become mentors to other females, and that the Air Force focuses on recruiting greater numbers of high-quality female officers, encourages more females to become pilots, and finds ways to make it easier for females to balance family and career.
Call Number: M-U 43122 R5391w
Publication Date: 2007
Women in combat : is the current policy obsolete? by Martha E. McSally In January 2005, during an interview with the Washington Times on the war in Iraq and Army transformation, President Bush stated: 'There's no change of policy as far as I'm concerned. No women in combat.' Technically, the policy has not changed, but in reality, the nation's policy has not survived contact with the enemy. As Commander in Chief, the President has engaged military power in the war against terrorism on a global scale and the counterinsurgency in Iraq has engulfed both men and women in combat. Operations Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Iraqui Freedom (Iraq) are the first major combat operations since hundreds of thousands of new positions in the military were opened to women in the 1990s. Women deployed and fought as fighter, bomber, attack, and helicopter pilots in all the services, in ground combat support positions, and aboard combat and support Navy and Coast Guard vessels. According to the Department of Defense, (DoD) 10,100 women were deployed to Iraq in May 2006, and 1,900 women were deployed to Afghanistan, constituting 8 percent of the total force. In total, over 155,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002.
Call Number: M-U 43117 M1752w
Publication Date: 2007
Can Air Force women judge advocates realistically reach for two stars? by Stacey J. Vetter Since the appointment of the first Judge Advocate General in September 1948, 15 Judge Advocate Generals and nine Deputy Judge Advocate General's have been appointed and all have been caucasion men. Moreover, in the sixty-one year history of the Air Force only one woman judge advocate has attained the rank of brigadier general. These facts beg the questions: why has there been only one woman reach general officer rank? Is it realistic for today's women judge advocates to reach for two stars? The methodology utilized to research this issue included three literature reviews. One on the history of the JAG Corps; one on women in the military; and one on women in the legal profession. This author also reviewed statistical data on the recruitment and promotion rates of women in the JAG Corps and in civilian law firms. Finally, this author interviewed thirty-nine women JAGs to ascertain their perspectives on barriers to their advancement in rank. The research revealed that history played a large role in restricting women's ability to serve as judge advocates and, until recently, none were really qualified to be general officers. But, it is realistic for today's women judge advocates to reach for two stars because the formal barriers restricting their ability to be competitive are now gone and it is completely within an individual's control to perform well in her duties. However, other factors, which are not within her control, still do exist and act as informal barriers hindering a woman's ability to be competitive for senior ranks. These factors need must be addressed to allow a more even playing field. This author makes some pragmatic suggestions to initiate change and alleviate these factors from acting as inhibitors to women judge advocates career advancement.
Call Number: M-U 43122 V591c
Publication Date: 2008
Air Force and diversity : the awkward embrace by Suzanne M. Streeter Attitudes towards diversity in the Air Force range widely; some Airmen perceive diversity as an assault on unit culture or dismiss the need for further attention to diversity, believing all issues were resolved with integration. These attitudes demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of the Air Force's guidance on diversity, which is stated clearly in Air Force Instruction 1-1 as "a military necessity." They contribute to the resulting discordance between Air Force intentions and effective programs and policies to retain and develop a diverse corps. This is evidenced by the alarming rate at which Air Force officer women decide to leave the military, as 50 percent have separated by the 7-year mark; approximately 30 percent of the officer men have separated at the same juncture. Rarely do Airmen actually embrace diversity as key to greater mission success.
Call Number: INTERNET
Publication Date: 2013
Gender integration in the USAF fighter community : 25 years of progress and persistent challenges by Thomas B. Wolfe
Call Number: INTERNET
Publication Date: 2017
Women in a man's Air Force : why are there so few women general officers by Matthew J. Burrows Women make up seven percent of total general officers in the United States Air Force compared to 21 percent women in the remaining officer ranks of colonel and below. Why is the percentage of women general officers in the Air Force significantly lower than the percentage of women officers in the ranks of colonel and below? This thesis tests five hypotheses to better understand the disparity. Two structural hypotheses address rules-based barriers for promotion and retention and two cultural hypotheses address cultural norms that could provide barriers for promotion and retention. A fifth hypothesis, gendered organizations, asserts that women leave the Air Force before becoming eligible for general officer because they are subject to the negative effects of being women in a hypermasculine organization. While the first four hypotheses provide insight and background information to the research question, the gendered organization hypothesis offers a new way to look at the problem. Women officers must navigate a hypermasculine culture where they are required to exhibit enough feminine traits that they conform to expected gender norms, while also exhibiting enough masculine traits to be effective.
Call Number: INTERNET
Publication Date: 2018
Jane Air : self-actualization in the Women's Airforce Service Pilots by Megan M. Luka This thesis examines the factors that enabled the individuals within the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) to meet esteem needs, reach peak performance, and self-actualize through the lens of Maslow's theory of self-actualization. It provides insight into the social conditions and opportunities that both helped and hindered these individuals in their quest to self-actualize and ultimately provide such a valuable contribution to the US war effort and future generations of women seeking gender equality in the military. The author applies the work of three noted psychologists: Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs and his self-actualization characteristics, Carl Rogers' contributions to psychological needs, and Charles Garfield's ideas on peak-performance to determine if their basic and psychological needs had been fulfilled, allowing self-fulfillment needs to emerge. Using contemporary popular media, and the personal letters, oral histories, and biographies of seven different women, the author presents evidence of physiological, safety, and esteem need gratification and of synergy between the women's personal missions, job requirements, and the safe psychological space provided by the WASP organization. She concludes the WASP provided an environment and experience fostering self-actualization. Finally, she suggests implications for the operational Air Force and provides recommendations for future study
Call Number: INTERNET
Publication Date: 2019

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Suggested subjects to search on this topic:

United States Air Force -- Women

Women soldiers

Women in combat

Women and the military

Women and war