12 famous women who served in the military
- Women have been serving in the military, officially or unofficially, since the Revolutionary War.
- Just as there are famous men who are veterans, there are famous women vets as well.
- "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 2022, the US Department of Defense reported the percentage of women serving in active and reserve capacities was growing. In 2021, 17.3% of active-duty roles and 21.4% of the National Guard and reserves were women, up slightly from the year before, it reported, citing the 2021 Demographics Profile of the Military Community.
Ahead of Memorial Day this year — the official marker of summer and one of the biggest holidays in the US — 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.