DACOWITS History of Recommendations - Spring Conference 1984

Recommendations:

1. Statutes Restricting Women from the Combat Arena
DACOWITS urges the Department of Defense to continue to review any policy and statutes restricting women from the combat arena, and provide a report on the implications of modification and repeal on crisis mobilization, readiness and sustainability.

2. Role of Military Women
DACOWITS recommends the continued expansion of the role of military, women by OSD and the Services within existing Statutory and regulatory, constraints.

3. Women in High Technology Careers
DACOWITS recommends that plans pertaining to the research, development, procurement and deployment of advanced high technology systems provide for the utilization of women on the ground floor.

4. Dissemination and Policy on Utilization of Women Assigned to Operational Units
DACOWITS recommends that OSD reiterate, through the publication of a formal policy statement to commanders and field personnel at all levels the requirement that women be fully utilized in their assigned operational units.

5. Rape
DACOWITS recommends that the Services adopt a policy of providing professional assistance for rape victims. When in the absence of military or nearby civilian Community Rape Crisis Centers, victims upon consent should be immediately evacuated to the closest available qualified facility.

6. Quarters Allowance - TDY
DACOWITS recommends that the ASD (Comptroller) be asked to interpret Title 37 U. S. Code, Sec. 403. If the ASD (Comptroller) interprets the statute and implementing regulations as requiring the withholding of housing allowance to TDY single personnel and joint service couples, the DACOWITS recommends that the Department of Defense take action to seek amendment of that portion of the statute.

7. Publicize DACOWITS
DACOWITS recommends that the Services publicize the existence and purpose of the DACOWITS. To further this effort, the DACOWITS recommends that the Secretary of Defense disseminate a memorandum and accompanying DACOWITS brochure through all Armed Forces chains of command down to installation level with a requirement that the appropriate command structure provide this information to all public affairs offices and to all service organizations of commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted personnel. The memorandum of information should include the names of DACOWITS members residing in the region for purposes of regional, and local command invitational lists.

8. OB/GYN Care
DACOWITS recommends the Secretaries of Defense and Transportation require the services to observe the priority system for active duty military women for OB/GYN care.

9. Alcohol Abuse
DACOWITS recommends that commanders be made aware that military women with alcohol abuse problems must be identified as early as their male counterparts.

10. Inter-Communication
DACOWITS recommends that each of the Services communicate to all command levels that informal organizations and intercommunications among military women are not to be discouraged.

11. Direct Combat Probability Coding (DCPC)
DACOWITS commends the Army for steps taken to communicate with and about the female enlisted service members reclassified as a result of Direct Combat Probability Coding (DCPC). It is now our expectation that the Army's documentation of their actions in the official personnel files and the on-going briefings of the promotion boards will protect the opportunities of the reclassified female service members.

12. Uniforms
DACOWITS recommends that the Service Secretaries and the Commandant of the Coast Guard:

a. Ensure that more quality control of uniforms be demanded and the results be more closely monitored by uniform procurement agencies to assure improved quality control.

b. Assign responsibilities to someone within each service to assure that accountability of uniform items be increased and available within various size ranges in Clothing Sales Stores.

c. Give careful considerations to the frequency of uniform changes and how that impacts military, personnel both with regard to cost and availability.

d. Increase number of women on uniform boards.

e. Report on the results.

13. Crew Configuration in MinuteMan/Peacekeeper Missile Units
DACOWITS recommends that the Air Force provide for the utilization of women in its missile force so that retirement of the Titan Missiles will not mean closure of this operational career field to women.

14. Military and Civilian Women in Key Positions
DACOWITS recommends that the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the military Services develop plans for increasing the number of military, and civilian women in key positions where policy and decisions are made which affect the careers, utilization, and promotion opportunities for military, women. the Committee would like to be advised of progress.

Chair: Ms. Anne L. Schulze