http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124199184NEARY: Now, women make up just 14 percent of the Army. Do you have any idea how many women really are interested in combat positions?
Ms. ROSS: You know, to be honest, I dont know. Ive definitely spoken with some women who are interested and, you know, they feel like theres this opportunity thats being kept from them. I can say for me personally, I wouldnt necessarily be jumping up and down to be an infantryman just because thats not the job that interests me. My interest was more with dealing with civilians. For me, this is an issue of principle, just the idea that women are being kept from certain jobs just based on the fact that theyre women. But I do think that there are definitely women out there. I just I wouldnt be able to put a number on it, though.
NEARY: Now, in your piece, you say that you didnt really encounter any problems with your male colleagues. You even had to live in very close quarters with them. But we know that there have been cases of female service members facing harassment - perhaps worse in the field. So, as the military tries to deal with issues of women in the military in non-combat positions, providing them with safe circumstances, are they ready to deal with the whole issue, and the problems that might arise out of women in combat?
Ms. ROSS: Well, I do think so because, you know, I have to say, I mean, Ive worked both in the civilian sector and obviously, in the military. And when I was in the Army, I felt like the Army, out of any of the employers Ive ever had, the Army was the most concerned with sexual harassment and sexual assault. And they are the only ones who would take the time - every couple of months, we would be briefed on the proper procedures on how to deal with any kind of incident. You know, who we were supposed to report to, all the different options that are available to us. You know, if were afraid of going directly to our chain of command, you know, we had other options that we could use - like the inspector general, for instance. I felt like I was very much informed on the issue.
