Gender and the Military Profession: Early Career Influences, Attitudes and Intentions

• In Event: 172 - Section on Peace, War and Social Conflict Roundtables (one-hour). Table 01. Peace and Peacebuilding
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 05. Peace, War and Social Conflict in the American Context

Abstract

Lack of career persistence for women in non-traditional professions such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) professions has been attributed to social psychological factors including self-efficacy, stereotype threat, and bias derived from research analyzing workplace discrimination and women’s family plans as outcomes. This study builds on research on traditionally male professions by examining the military profession and how service academies socialize women into a traditionally male profession through role model influence. As increasing numbers of women are being recruited into the U.S. Navy, retention of women (especially in combat occupational specialties) continues to lag behind men. Qualitative data shows many women and men leave the Navy because of impact on their family. For women and men entering the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), what are their work-family expectations and who influences them? This study analyzes a sample of students enrolled at USNA; online surveys are used to collect data on the work-family expectations of midshipmen. Results show a gendered difference in career intentions are influenced by male and female peers outside USNA, but no influence on their career intentions from their families or those people responsible for their military indoctrination. However, female midshipmen, on average, do not plan on serving as many years as their male peers. Expected work-family conflict and gender ideology are employed to help explore the relationships between work and family expectations.

Authors

• David Smith, U.S. Naval Academy

• Judith E. Rosenstein, United States Naval Academy