Was 1987 Military Etiquette Sexist?

“NOW A SOLDIER-Dorothy A. Bartmus (center), popular Hollywood Riviera resident, has joined the Women’s Army Corps and leaves for Fort Des Moines, Iowa, to take basic training and be assigned to the medical department of the United States Army. She is shown with First Lieutenant Eileen Knowler, WAC, who swore her into the WAC, and right, with Mrs. Donald Armstrong, South Bay district regional chairman for the Civilian Advisory Committee to the Women’s Army Corps.” ~ From 1944   
The women’s branch of the United States Army was the Women’s Army Corps. It began as an auxiliary unit, in May 1942, and later was converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United States. The corps was later disbanded in 1978, and all of the units were from that point integrated with the male units.

Military Women Up in Arms Over Etiquette Handbook

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) - It's in the book, the one they call "the bible," and a lot of women in uniform are up in arms. "A servicewoman does not smoke in the street," reads the entry in "Service Etiquette, a 582-page book that tells military personnel such things as how to dress, how to converse with others, how to write letters and what to do when traveling. The problem is, there is no such restriction on the smoking habits of military men and that's one of the reasons some females are demanding that the rule book be rewritten.

The editor of the manual, a sort of Emily Post of the armed services, says she simply overlooked the smoking rule. Brenda J. Fullmer, social director at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, is one of the women who believes "Service Etiquette" is behind the times. The book's author, Oretha D. Swartz, agrees, and she's in the process of revising it. Mrs. Fullmer met with her counterparts at the other military academies last year to discuss the book's shortcomings. As social directors, they are frequently asked to settle matters of etiquette and the book is their ultimate authority.

"The main thing has to do with smoking, example," Mrs. Fullmer says. "The way it's worded, it's OK for men in uniform to smoke in the street, but it's not OK for women. Well, that's not really fair." Mrs. Fullmer says the smoking question was brought to her attention by a perplexed admiral who received a complaint about a Coast Guard female officer who was caught smoking with male officers.

"The woman had been chastised for smoking," Mrs. Fullmer recalls. "She was standing with other officers and nothing was said to the men. She got very upset about it. But when they took it to the 'bible,' that's the way it was stated." Mrs. Fullmer says another problem not anticipated by the book was how to address female officers who outrank their officer husbands, and how to address women officers who retain their maiden names when they marry. She says the etiquette book is "fuzzy" on the details and cited formal invitations as an example.

"Normally, in the social rules of etiquette, the man is always
addressed first if it's a 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.' In the military, rank always comes first. So, if the woman has the highest rank, does she come first?" Mrs. Fullmer asks. She says there are other instances where the rules didn't apply evenly or are unclear as the result of women moving up the ranks. "I don't know where on earth she (Swartz) is going to go for answers," Mrs. Fullmer says. "We're up in arms."

Mrs. Swartz, who lives in Annapolis, Md., hometown of the U.S. Naval Academy, says she's just completed her research and writing on the fourth edition of "Service Etiquette." Her editors at the Naval Institute Press are now putting the finishing touches on the book. The last revision was eight years ago. "It's called the 'bible' and is for all branches of the armed forces," Mrs. Swartz says. 

"It's the only book of its nature in the armed services. It's much more than a book for how to use the correct fork and how to introduce someone. It's how to cope." Mrs. Swartz says the newest edition will include numerous changes, most of which will relax existing rules. She says many of the changes address complaints from female officers who feel discriminated against. Mrs. Swartz also has made other minor changes. 

For instance, the new book will note that hops are now called dances, that Navy midshipmen no longer need to wear white gloves at dances, and that receiving lines at formal functions should "be as short as possible." One key change, which appears minor to outsiders but is considered important to women in the military, will deal with personal cards. 

Mrs. Swartz says female officers now use a smaller calling card than male officers, but both will be the same size under the new etiquette rules. "This is going to be a big help," she says. "It came up at West Point when a lieutenant colonel on the faculty approached me and questioned the difference in cards between men and women." The officer wanted to include her rank and Ph.D. on her personal card, but had difficulty doing so. "Wherever I go, women officers talk about this matter of discrimination, even on a little card," Mrs. Swartz says.

As for the smoking rule, Mrs. Swartz says she was unaware that on Page 19 of the current etiquette book there is a ban on servicewomen smoking on the street. She says she will delete the entry in the newest edition. "T'll take a second look," she says, "I admit I didn't ever catch it." Mrs. Swartz also has provided answers to the matter of how to address formal invitations. For instance, if a husband and wife are both officers on active duty, the highest ranking is addressed first on invitations, even if it's the woman. "If you don't think that's given me headaches," she says. "I called many people and got their opinions. If three people agreed, that's what stood." – The Desert Sun, 1987

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