Gallup Poll - Americans Support Combat Roles for Military Women
According to the Dec. 14-16 CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey, Americans widely favor military opportunities for women that are equal to those for men in the areas of flying combat aircraft, serving on submarines, and serving in Special Forces operations. The public is least supportive of allowing women to serve in direct ground combat; still, a majority, 52%, favors this.
In some of these cases, Americans support military opportunities for women that exceed what current policies allow. While women now serve as fighter pilots in the Air Force (policy changes during the Clinton administration opened up most aviation specialties to women), they are still prohibited by the Navy from serving on submarines and by the Army and Marine Corps from serving in Special Forces units or in direct ground combat.
For the full report and demographic statistics:
Gallup Organization
Above material © 2002 Gallup Organization
Unless otherwise noted contents © 1996 to date by Captain Barbara A. Wilson, USAF (Ret)