Camouflaging Military Distress: The Systematic Silencing of Women Military Members

This qualitative research explores the experiences of 10 women military members from three United States (U.S.) military branches: Army, Marine Corps and Navy. Specifically, it looks at how women military members identify and cope with mental and emotional distress created and aggravated by systematic marginalization in the military. Due to the lengthy and drawn-out wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military mental health has become a major point of social and political concern in society. However, the mental and emotional experiences of women military members are being overlooked. Current literature focuses on the socialization of military members, masculine military culture, and war related mental illness and trauma; there is insufficient literature that explores how women military members are impacted by the military institution. I utilize Labeling Theory, Symbolic Interactionism and Feminist Standpoint Theory to understand how stigmatizing labels and social interactions shape the identities of women military members. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 participants who self-identified as women veterans. Findings reveal that cultural masculinity creates an environment in the military that perpetuates and sustains the systematic subordination of women military members. As a result, self-silencing and identity management are frequently used by women military members as tools to help navigate through the military institutional system and to cope with distress.