[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Men and Women of the Navy
In the Navy, one would have to go back to sailing ships to find a time when strength played a very important role for a large number of personnel. Climbing riggings and carrying enormous hawsers did indeed require strength, but this is hardly relevant to modern times. In the history of the Navy since Word War II, technology has consistently eroded the value of raw strength. The reliance on high-tech equipment has increased the need to enlist intelligent sailors who are adaptable and learn quickly.
The Navy currently requires large numbers of highly skilled, technical officers and enlisted personnel and values retention of those who have received expensive technical training. Given the historical tendency of the military to use women in traditionally female jobs, the well-documented gender differences in propensity to choose technical fields of study tend to limit expectations about the interest of women in Navy service. Thus, the reluctance of women to choose to work in technical fields would appear to limit the growth of women in the Navy. It is worth remembering, however, that occupational choices are a function of demand and supply interactions. If women perceive that a technical field is not a viable option, due to the resistance of men in that field, a hostile working environment, and a lack of female employees to serve as a buffer, then naturally their desire to enter the field will be dampened.
In fact, the primary inducement for women to choose such an occupation will be the economic incentive to engage in this type of work. In this sense, the Navy, or indeed the military in general, will have a strong attraction for women. In the rigid pay structure adopted by the military, men and women of equal rank and experience will by and large earn the same wage......
