George Mason University Study
Army recruiters have for years attracted new recruits by emphasizing the educational and leadership development skills an army experience provides. No one has taken a good look at how the army impacted women. The Army Women’s Foundation, in partnership with George Mason University, initiated a research study exploring the economic and social impact of women’s service in the Army. This information documents how women have benefited from their military service. Click here to download the results from the study.
This study was made possible through a bequest from the estate of Sergeant Major Julia Bennett, an African-American woman who retired in 1986 after 28 years of army service. SGM Bennett epitomized the findings of this study, that an army career gives many women opportunities that would not otherwise be available in a civilian career.
The study began with a questionnaire distributed to approximately 1,500 members of the Army Women’s Foundation. The responses to this survey became the “Pilot Project” and served as the basis for future and expanded studies. The questionnaire addressed specific factual questions regarding how the respondents had benefited from military service.
While only 300 responses were required to make the study statistically valid, over 600 questionnaires were returned. The quality and depth of the responses was extremely illuminating for the researchers. The program was supported by the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representative, Virginia State Legislature, the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor.