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The history of America is the story of service. It is the history of ordinary citizens volunteering to serve for the greater good of the country.
The U.S. military is an avenue for service. Since the beginning of the republic, millions of service members have raised their hands and sworn to “uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic.”
Today, more than 3 million service members and DOD civilians serve around the world to protect and defend the United States, its citizens and interests, and U.S. allies and partners.
But throughout American history, there were artificial bars to service. Whole groups of Americans were precluded from volunteering to serve. These groups had to fight for the right to serve. In some cases, they fought in the nation’s wars to prove their worth to the United States.
The U.S. military is a meritocracy. The ideal is that the military wants the best person for a job. People should be judged by their competence, their character and their capability.
Established on July 1, 1973, the all-volunteer force was a return to the tradition of voluntary service in the military. Every soldier, Marine, sailor, airman and guardian in the military today is a volunteer, and that effort has produced the finest fighting force the world has ever seen.
President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, which abolished segregation in the U.S. armed forces.
President Truman also signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act on June 12, 1948. That act allowed women to serve as permanent, regular members of the armed forces. Prior to the act, women served only in national emergencies.
It has been more than a decade since former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, eliminated the Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule. They directed the military services and U.S. Special Operations Command to open all military occupational specialties to women, including frontline combat units.