Cover pictures posted clockwise, starting from top left Picture 1: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Lauren Badger, assigned to Detachment 3, 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, removes the barrel of an M-2 .50-caliber machine gun at Forward Operating Base Falcon, Iraq, on Jan. 30, 2009. DoD photo by Senior Airman Daniel Owen, U.S. Air Force. (Released) Picture 2: U.S. Army Sgt. Jennifer Peters provides security for her fellow soldiers during a military operation on urban terrain exercise as part of mobilization training at Fort Dix, N.J., on Jan. 10, 2008. Peters and soldiers from the 186th Military Police Company, Iowa Army National Guard, are receiving training from the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade for their upcoming deployment. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika, U.S. Army. (Released) Picture 3: Army Maj. Ladda "Tammy" Duckworth of the Illinois Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment, narrates the "Salute to Fallen Asian Pacific Islander Heroes." during the Defense Department's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month luncheon and military awards ceremony in Arlington, Va., June 2. An Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Duckworth suffered the loss of both legs when a rocket-propelled grenade penetrated her helicopter beneath her feet and exploded at her knees in Iraq. Picture 4: Cpl. Christina M. Long, 23, a native of Cuyahoga, Ohio, and assistant team leader searches an Iraqi woman entering Fallujah. The Female Searching Force searches every woman entering the city to ensure they are not trafficking drugs, weapons, or anything else that could be considered harmful or illegal within the city. (Released) Photo by 1st Lt. Sara E. Hope Picture 5: Staff Sgt. Ramon Padillo, his daughter Emily, 3, and wife Judith pose with Elmo and Rosita from Sesame Street after the "Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes," DVDs launched in April 2008. Padillo, a wounded warrior, and his family were featured on the DVD. Photo Credit: Linda Spillers Copyright 2008 Sesame Workshop Picture 6: U.S. Army Capt. Marry Nolan, Prevention Medical officer, has a conversation with an Iraqi woman in the village of Sudoor, Diyala, Iraq, on Dec. 18, 2009. U.S. soldiers and Iraqi army soldiers gave food and school supplies to individuals living in an abandoned hotel. DoD photo by Spc. Anderson Savoy, U.S. Army. (Released) Picture 7: Construction Electrician 2nd Class Alicia Morgan, assigned to the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 74 convoy security element, provides entry control point security at a road project site. NMCB-74 has been charged with improving key convoy routes in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Lindsey/Released) DACOWITS DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN THE SERVICES 2009 REPORT In collaboration with ICF International TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 1 A. BACKGROUND: WOMEN IN COMBAT: THE UTILIZATION OF WOMEN IN THE OIF/OEF THEATRES OF OPERATIONS.................................................................. 3 B. BACKGROUND: SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES OF WOUNDED WARRIORS........... 15 C. ORGANIZATION OF REPORT.................................................................................... 35 II. WOMEN IN COMBAT: THE UTILIZATION OF WOMEN IN THE OIF/OEF THEATRES OF OPERATIONS...................................................................................... 37 A. CHARACTERISTICS OF FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS .................................... 37 B. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY ......................................................... 39 C. ROLES WOMEN PERFORM IN THE OIF AND OEF THEATRES OF OPERATIONS............................................................................................................ 40 D. COMBAT PREPAREDNESS OF FEMALE SERVICE MEMBERS........................... 54 E. IMPLICATIONS OF WOMEN SERVING IN COMBAT............................................. 62 F. PERSPECTIVES ON THE ROLES WOMEN SHOULD SERVE IN THE MILITARY ..................................................................................................................................... 75 G. LEADER UNDERSTANDING OF DOD ASSIGNMENT POLICY FOR WOMEN .. 79 III. SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES OF WOUNDED WARRIORS........................................... 84 A. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FOCUS GROUPS AND FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS ........................................................................................................ 85 B. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY ......................................................... 88 C. EVIDENCE OF RECENT PROGRESS IN SUPPORT FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS ..................................................................................................................................... 89 D. HOW WELL WOUNDED WARRIOR FAMILIES ARE SUPPORTED ..................... 92 E. HOW SUPPORT FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR FAMILIES CAN BE FURTHER IMPROVED.............................................................................................................. 130 IV. 2009 DACOWITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: WOMEN IN COMBAT: THE UTILIZATION OF WOMEN IN THE OIF/OEF THEATRES OF OPERATIONS ................................................................................................................. 135 V. 2009 DACOWITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES OF WOUNDED WARRIORS ................................................................... 140 VI. APPENDICES..................................................................................................................... 150 APPENDIX A: DACOWITS CHARTER ..................................................................... 151 APPENDIX B: BIOGRAPHIES OF DACOWITS MEMBERS ................................. 154 APPENDIX C: INSTALLATIONS VISITED .............................................................. 157 APPENDIX D: FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOLS.......................................................... 159 APPENDIX D-1: DACOWITS 2009 WOMEN IN COMBAT FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL – FEMALE LEADERS ...................................................................... 160 APPENDIX D-2: DACOWITS 2009 WOMEN IN COMBAT FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL – FEMALE SERVICE MEMBERS ................................................... 165 APPENDIX D-3: DACOWITS 2009 WOMEN IN COMBAT FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL – MALE LEADERS ........................................................................... 169 APPENDIX D-4: DACOWITS 2009 WOMEN IN COMBAT FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL – MALE SERVICE MEMBERS........................................................ 174 APPENDIX D-5: DACOWITS 2009 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROVIDER FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL – PROVIDERS..................................................................... 179 APPENDIX D-6: DACOWITS 2009 WOUNDED WARRIOR FAMILY MEMBER GROUP PROTOCOL – FAMILY MEMBERS....................................................... 184 APPENDIX E: MINI-SURVEYS ................................................................................... 190 APPENDIX E-1: DACOWITS 2009 WOMEN IN COMBAT MINI-SURVEY .... 191 APPENDIX E-2: DACOWITS 2009 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROVIDER MINI- SURVEY................................................................................................................... 192 APPENDIX E-3: DACOWITS 2009 WOUNDED WARRIOR FAMILY MEMBER MINI-SURVEY ........................................................................................................ 194 APPENDIX F: MINI-SURVEY RESULTS .................................................................. 196 APPENDIX F-1: DACOWITS 2009 WOMEN IN COMBAT MINI-SURVEY RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 197 APPENDIX F-2: DACOWITS 2009 WOUNDED WARRIOR PROVIDER MINI- SURVEY RESULTS ................................................................................................ 201 APPENDIX F-3: DACOWITS 2009 WOUNDED WARRIOR FAMILY MEMBER MINI-SURVEY RESULTS...................................................................................... 208 APPENDIX G: PROVIDER INSIGHTS ABOUT WOUNDED WARRIOR FAMILIES........................................................................................................................ 217 APPENDIX H: BRIEFINGS PRESENTED TO DACOWITS ................................... 221 APPENDIX I: ACRONYMS USED IN REPORT........................................................ 224 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since it was first chartered by Congress in 1951, the mission of the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) has been to provide the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in the Armed Forces. Additionally, since 2002, that mission has encompassed family matters related to the recruitment and retention of a highly qualified professional military. As has been its practice in recent years, DACOWITS selected for the 2009 research cycle one topic from each of these two domains, as follows: a) Women in Combat: The Utilization of Women in the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Theatres of Operations, and b) Support for Families of Wounded Warriors. For each topic, DACOWITS formulated research questions establishing the