Leaders, Talent Management, and Allies: The Keys to Successful Integration in the Combat Arms

Servicewomen enhance the U.S. Military fighting force by bringing diverse perspectives, collaborative and creative problem-solving skills for global peace and security, and innovative, adaptive talent as leaders. Despite servicewomen integrating into combat units over the past decade, a number of barriers remain related to inclusion, promotion, and quality of life, particularly for marginalized women. To eliminate inequities experienced by servicewomen, leaders across all levels of the military play a key role in supporting the successful integration of servicewomen, cultivating an environment of belonging, and guarding against toxicity, which will result in optimized performance and readiness for all servicemembers in defense of the Nation. Herein, we review the original gaps related to leadership and peer behaviors identified by the 2014 Women in Combat Symposium, provide updates in the literature, address the topics that arose at the 2021 Women in Combat Symposium, and finally, outline the remaining barriers and challenges to the successful integration of female servicemembers.