By the Numbers: 1 June 2020
28%
The percentage by which women are more likely to separate from the armed forces than men, according to a recent study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In addition, the GAO found that:
- The proportion of women in the military went up from 15.1% to 16.5%
- Attrition rates for female enlisted and commissioned officers were higher than for males, but this gap has narrowed
- Promotion rates for enlisted were slightly lower for women than men, but officer promotion rates were higher for women
- DOD doesn’t have guidance or plans for its efforts to recruit and retain women
![](/sites/default/files/blog/Representation%20of%20Active-Duty%20Servicemembers%20by%20Gender%2C%20Organization%2C%20and%20Pay%20Grade%2C%20Fiscal%20Year%202018.png)
28%
The percentage by which women are more likely to separate from the armed forces than men, according to a recent study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In addition, the GAO found that:
- The proportion of women in the military went up from 15.1% to 16.5%
- Attrition rates for female enlisted and commissioned officers were higher than for males, but this gap has narrowed
- Promotion rates for enlisted were slightly lower for women than men, but officer promotion rates were higher for women
- DOD doesn’t have guidance or plans for its efforts to recruit and retain women