LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to recog-
nize women serving in the United States Military in conjunction with
celebrating March 2012 as Women's History Month in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Gover-
nor Andrew M. Cuomo to recognize women serving in the United States
Military in conjunction with celebrating March 2012 as Women's History
Month in the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Women have served in the United States Military since the
birth of this nation; and
WHEREAS, Margaret Corbin is but one example of women whose partic-
ipation in the American military as early as the American Independence
has been formally recognized; she was the first female recipient of a
pension from Congress for her military efforts at Fort Washington; and
WHEREAS, Mary Edwards Walker was the first and only female recipient
of the Medal of Honor for her services as a surgeon during the American
Civil War; and
WHEREAS, The Women Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 enabled
women to enter the United States Military as regular members of the
Army, Navy, Marine Corps or the Air Force; and
WHEREAS, Legislative actions such as the Equal Pay Act in 1963 and the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 aimed to further improve working and living
conditions for women in the United States Military as well as their
enrollment and advancement opportunities in the military; and
WHEREAS, The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York is
one of many academies that produces thousands of brave and strong mili-
tary men and women for America; and
WHEREAS, The United States Military Academy graduated its first female
cadets in 1980; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Center for Education Statistics,
women have recently comprised about 15.1% of the student body at the
United States Military Academy; and
WHEREAS, According to the Department of Defense, as of September 30,
2011, there are 214,098 women on active duty in the United States Mili-
tary, of which 207,308 serve in the Department of Defense (DOD) along
with 6,790 active in the Coast Guard; and
WHEREAS, Within the DOD, 76,694 women serve in the Army; 13,677 in the
Marine Corps; 53,385 in the Navy; and 63,552 in the Air Force; and
WHEREAS, In addition, 117,189 women serve in the DOD Reserves and
72,790 women serve in the National Guard; and
WHEREAS, According to the American Forces Press Service, between 1995
and 2004, the proportion of officer and enlisted women increased from
13% to 15%; and
WHEREAS, Many women have died alongside men in Iraq and Afghanistan,
since the start of the Iraq war in 2003; and
WHEREAS, The DOD has recorded that 110 women have been killed in Oper-
ation Iraqi Freedom, and 20 more were killed in Operation Enduring Free-
dom in Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, The year 2008 marked the first moment in American military
history when a woman was promoted to the rank of four-star general; and
WHEREAS, First Lieutenant Annie G. Fox was the first woman to be
awarded the Purple Heart; and
WHEREAS, The most recent female recipients of the Purple Heart include
Jacqueline Fleck Kidd, Jessica Lynch and Erin Liberty; and
WHEREAS, Women will continue to serve this country with bravery and
patriotism, to protect our freedom and maintain peace here and around
the world; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to recognize women serving in the
United States Military in conjunction with celebrating March 2012 as
Women's History Month in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.