Three years into a gender integration initiative, the results are positive, the Army’s nominee to become Army undersecretary told Congress.

Buried in pile of questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee, James McPherson says more than 1,400 women are now part of infantry, armor and field artillery units, and 42 women are Ranger School graduates. 

McPherson is a one-time Army military policeman who went on to serve 24 years in the Navy, rising to become the Navy Judge Advocate General. He has served as Army general counsel since January 2018. His nomination to be undersecretary is pending before the committee.

McPherson told the Senate committee that if confirmed he would “continue to explore ways to maximize the assignments of women in formerly closed units and occupational specialties.”

“In 2017 we began integration in two brigade combat teams, one at Fort Bragg and one at Fort Hood. Since then, the Army has fully gender-integrated units on Forts Hood, Bragg, Bliss, Campbell and Carson, and in 2019 we began integrating units on Forts Stewart, Riley, Polk, Drum; Joint Base Lewis-McChord; Vicenza, Italy; and Vilseck, Germany,” he said.

There is more to be done, McPherson said. “I believe we need to continue focusing our mentoring, recruiting and advertising efforts to increase female awareness of Army opportunities, for both currently serving members and new recruits,” he said.