A report has been published by the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) about female soldiers in Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF). USASOC commissioned this study in January 2021 to identify barriers female Solders encounter in ARSOF units and establish lessons learned and best practices in order to recruit, maximize comprehensive integration, and retain extraordinary Soldiers.
The report is entitled BREAKING BARRIERS: Women in Army Special Operations. The report is based on a comprehensive study of women in ARSOF conducted by USASOC that was completed in December 2021. The USASOC staff conducted a critical analysis of the findings and have decided to address 42 of the recommendations outlined in the study.
The USASOC research team was led by an Organizational Psychologist. The team applied a three-pronged approach to the study consisting of a survey, moderated focus group discussions, and command team interviews. There are about 2,300 female Soldiers and 470 female civilian employees assigned to USASOC – about 8% of USASOC.
Table of Contents:
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Methodology
- Chapter 3: Demographics
- Chapter 4: Gender Bias
- Chapter 5: Equipment Fitting
- Chapter 6: Childcare
- Chapter 7: Social Support
- Chapter 8: Sexual Harrasment
- Chapter 9: Soldier Morale, Well-being, and Quality of Life
- Chapter 10: Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Chapter 11: Access to Women’s Health Care
- Appendix A – Roll up of Recommendations for Action
- Appendix B – Women in ARSOF Survey Data
*********
BREAKING BARRIERS: Women in Army Special Operations, United States Army Special Operations Command, originally published December 2021, updated August 18, 2023, PDF, 106 pages.
https://www.soc.mil/wia/women-in-arsof-report-2023.pdf
