Women in Combat Need a Collaborative Culture Shift
Elise Brady1, Margaux F Keller2
1Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Military Medicine
|July 25, 2023
Summary
The 2021 Women in Combat Symposium highlighted the need for better integration of research into Department of Defense (DoD) policies to enhance servicewomen's health and well-being. Despite progress, policy and practice still lag behind research recommendations.
Area of Science:
- Military medicine
- Operational performance
- Public health
Background:
- The Women in Combat (WIC) Symposium addresses critical issues for servicewomen.
- Previous symposia have laid groundwork for addressing gender-specific military challenges.
- The 2021 event aimed to identify current gaps impacting military women.
Purpose of the Study:
- To virtually convene stakeholders for discussion on female leadership, operational performance, and health.
- To reassess and redefine previous recommendations in light of new research and policy.
- To identify persistent gaps affecting military servicewomen's well-being.
Main Methods:
- A 3-day virtual symposium format was adopted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Presentations were followed by interactive virtual breakout sessions.
- Keynote speakers reviewed and updated prior recommendations.
Main Results:
- Significant engagement occurred, with nearly 10,000 attendees, exceeding expectations.
- The virtual format enhanced accessibility and reach.
- Discussions underscored the gap between research findings and current DoD policy/practice.
Conclusions:
- While progress has been made, full integration of research into policy for servicewomen's health and wellness is incomplete.
- The symposium successfully highlighted areas needing further attention and action.
- Virtual platforms offer a viable and accessible method for large-scale scientific exchange.
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