January 08, 2015

Battlefields and Boardrooms

Women's Leadership in the Military and the Private Sector

Dr. Nora Bensahel, LTG David W. Barno, USA (Ret.), Katherine Kidder, and Kelley Sayler examine the career paths of professional women through the ranks of the U.S. military and private sector. In the report, the authors argue that women at all levels of the military and the private sector share a number of challenges related to retention and promotion, parenthood and family, compensation and negotiation, mentorship and career advancement, and workplace climate. These challenges need to be addressed in order for the military services and private sector employers to benefit from the full range of the nation's talent.

Authors

  • Katherine L. Kuzminski

    Deputy Director of Studies, Director, Military, Veterans, and Society Program

    Katherine L. Kuzminski (formerly Kidder) is the deputy director of studies and the director of the Military, Veterans, and Society (MVS) Program at the Center for a New Americ...

  • Kelley Sayler

    Former Fellow, Defense Strategies and Assessments Program

    Kelley Sayler is a former Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she worked with the Defense Strategies and Assessments Program and the Future of Warfa...

  • Nora Bensahel

  • David W. Barno

  • Podcast
    • January 22, 2025
    Pete Hegseth’s Views About Women and Military Standards

    In recent weeks, Hegseth walked back comments made while promoting his book, where he said women did not belong in ground combat units. Without citing specific examples, he co...

    By Katherine L. Kuzminski

  • Commentary
    • January 22, 2025
    Sharper: Trump's First 100 Days

    Donald Trump takes office in a complex and volatile global environment. Rising tensions with China, the continued war in Ukraine, and instability in the Middle East all pose s...

    By Charles Horn

  • Commentary
    • January 20, 2025
    Coordinate the Interagency to Counter Malign Foreign Influence

    The Trump administration should designate a senior member of the National Security Council staff as a coordinator of federal government efforts to counter malign foreign influ...

    By Carrie Cordero

  • Commentary
    • January 20, 2025
    Tackle the Military Recruiting Crisis

    The Trump administration should drive a whole-of-government approach to address the military recruiting crisis and ensure that the nation has the quality force necessary to de...

    By Katherine L. Kuzminski

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia