What support jobs did women do in the military?

I'm interested in how women have contributed to the military through support roles. Can anyone share examples of the kinds of jobs women have typically done in this area? It'd be great to learn more about this history!

Absolutely, women have played a significant role in the military, often through essential support roles, for many years. Although women have served in various capacities throughout military history, their roles expanded considerably in the 20th and 21st centuries.

One of the impactful roles women have held in the military is nursing. Dating back to World War I and II, many women served as military nurses, providing critical medical care to wounded soldiers. Some of them were part of the Army Nurse Corps or the Navy Nurse Corps. These women often worked in challenging conditions on the front lines, in field hospitals, and on hospital ships.

During World War II, women served in various auxiliary branches, such as the Women's Army Corps (WAC), Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Women in these groups performed a myriad of tasks that were essential to the war effort, from clerical work and communications to mechanical and logistical support.

In the WASP, for example, women pilots flew aircraft from factories to military bases, piloted training planes for male pilots, and even conducted test flights of repaired aircrafts, freeing up male pilots for combat roles.

Also worthy of mention is the role of women in the signal corps, where they often served as telephone operators, often referred to as 'Hello Girls', especially during World War I. These roles paved the way for further integration of women into the military.

In more recent years, women's roles in the military have expanded even further, including jobs in intelligence, logistical support, engineering, and more. Some women have even achieved high-ranking positions and made significant contributions to military strategy and operations. By gaining a better understanding of these historical contributions, we can truly appreciate the vital role that women have played in the military throughout history.