- Women have been serving in the military, officially or unofficially, since the Revolutionary War.
- Queen Elizabeth II was a military truck driver during World War II.
- “Golden Girl” Bea Arthur was one of the first members of the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve.
Women have been an important part of the armed services since the beginning, with icons like Harriet Tubman participating in the Civil War. While being female in a traditionally male-dominated space hasn’t always been easy, these women have stuck it out and served their countries.
In 2023, the US Department of Defense reported the percentage of women serving in active and reserve capacities was growing. In 2022, 17.5% of active-duty roles and 21.6% of the National Guard and reserves were women, up slightly from the year before, it reported, citing the 2022 Demographics Profile of the Military Community.
On Veteran’s Day this year, here are 12 famous women who have served in the military around the world, including Bea Arthur, Queen Elizabeth, and more.
Melina Glusac contributed to a previous version of this article.
