The role of women in the United States armed services became an important political topic in 1991. Women military personnel had engaged in combat in the most recent U.S. military actions: Grenada in 1983 Panama in 1989, and the Gulf War in 1991. Senator William V. Roth (R-DE) introduced a Senate bill in 1991 to clarify women's roles in the armed forces, including combat.
Representative Patricia Schroeder (D-CO1) and Beverly B. Byron (D-MD6) then convinced the House Armed Services Committee to amend the House bill under consideration for military appropriations for 1992 and 1993 to allow combat roles for military women. In the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator John Glenn (D-OH) opined that a thorough review and study of the issue of women's role in the armed services would take up to 18 months.
Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA), Chair of the Senate Committee, then introduced several Senate bills—102 S. 1507, 102 S. 1508, 102 S. 1509, and 102 S. 1515—to create just such a commission. The Congressional conference committee chosen to reconcile the House and Senate versions of bills for 1992-1993 military appropriations (of which Sen. Nunn was a member) included creating the Commission in the approved 1992-1993 military appropriations law.
Official name
"Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces"
Enabling authority
Public Law 102-190, National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1992 -1993 (December 5, 1991). Sections 541 through 549.
Purposes
"In general, the Commission shall assess the laws and policies restricting the assignment of female service members and shall make findings on such matters"
Specific matters for the Commission to study included
Combat readiness of armed forces permitting women combat roles
Their physical fitness
The effect of pregnancy and other absences
Unit morale and cohesion
Public attitudes regarding military women assigned combat roles
Legal implications of
Draft and conscription of women
Voluntary assignments for women in combat roles
Involuntary assignments for women in combat roles
Modification of facilities, quarters, vehicles, and equipment for women in combat roles Training of women in the combat skills to use these combat materials Costs involved in these modifications and training for women for combat roles Implications of allowing or restricting women from combat roles on the recruitment and retention of armed forces personnel
Membership
The President appoints the 15 commission members from among those in the public or private sector the President feels have both distinguished themselves in their own field of endeavor and have "significant experience" in one or more of the commission's areas of concern. --Retired military personnel --Academic institutions --Civilian industry --Non-defense related government agencies --The law --Armed forces combat --Armed forces combat support --Armed forces personnel management
Three of the commissioners must be women representing specific groups
Armed Services member
Representative from a women-in-the-armed-services organization
Representative from a women's issues organization
Commissioners
Robert T. Herres, General, United States Air Force (Ret.) Chairman
Mary E. Clarke, Major General, United States Army (Ret.) Samuel E. Cockerham, Brigadier General, US Army Elaine Donnelly, Thomas V. Draude, Brigadier General, United States Marine Corps Mary M. Finch, Captain, US Army William Darryl Henderson, PhD James R. Hogg, Admiral, United States Navy (Ret.) Newton N. Minow Charles C. Moskos, PhD Meredith A. Neizer, Kate Walsh O'Beirne Ronald D. Ray Maxwell R. Thurman, General, US Army (Ret.) Sarah F. White, Master Sergeant, US Air Force Reserve
Information gathering by panels
Each member of the commission, except for the Chair, was assigned to a panel to collect specific information relating to the commission's purposes.
Panel One
Commissions members: Ray (Chair), Clarke, Henderson
Assignment: Women's roles in the armed services of other nations; women's
roles in domestic law enforcement; the issue of prisoner of war
Panel Two
Commission members: Cockerham (Chair), Finch, Moskos
Assignment: Physiological and cost issues for training, readiness, clothing, facilities, and equipment; the issue of pregnancy; the issue of combat unit cohesion