This year, the U.S. military is behind recruiting goals by 23%, with the Army alone estimating it will miss goals by nearly 40,000 personnel over the next two years. Now, with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a new front has emerged that will likely exacerbate the military’s personnel struggle. The recent decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion access to female veterans is much needed; unfortunately, active duty service members must still work through the military’s health care system to access it.
The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling adds additional stressors to female service members who already face a difficult military culture and environment that often appear quite hostile to their needs. Nearly 1 in 4 servicewomen report experiencing sexual assault in the military, more than half report sexual harassment, and last year, reports of sexual assault surged in the military by 13% The suicide rate for women in the military is already double that of the national population, a fact that holds true today. Women in the military will now face increased risks if they’re stationed in a state that doesn’t provide access to reproductive care.
The Pentagon acknowledged as much July 29 in a congressional hearing on the growing military personnel crisis. A 2017 report revealed that 7% of women on active duty reported an unintended pregnancy in 2011 — an estimated total of 14,000 unplanned pregnancies alone — compared to 4.5% of civilian women. More than 90 abortions since 2016 have occurred at Department of Defense facilities. The military’s struggles to bring in new recruits are often viewed as a pressing national security concern. Following this logic, anything that exacerbates personnel problems is also a national security issue. Restrictive reproductive health laws are now one of those factors.
