Women Members with Military Service
To date, eight women Members of Congress have served in the United States armed forces prior to serving in Congress. Many early Women in Congress served as nurses during wartime, including Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts, Cathy Long of Louisiana, and Ruth Bryan Owen of Florida. However, none served directly in the nation's military branches. Likewise, Georgia Representative Helen Douglas Mankin served as an ambulance driver in a unit attached to the French Army during the Egypt-Palestine campaign, but the precise details of her military service remain elusive. Margaret Chase Smith served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve from 1950 to 1957, but this overlapped with her Senate service and came after her time in the House.
| Member Name | State | Military Service |
|---|---|---|
| Heather Wilson | NM | U.S. Air Force, 1978–1989 |
| Tulsi Gabbard | HI | Hawaii Army National Guard, 2003–present |
| Tammy Duckworth | IL | U.S. Army Reserve, 1992–1996; Illinois Army National Guard, 1996–2014 |
| Martha McSally | AZ | U.S. Air Force, 1988–2010 |
| Joni Ernst | IA | U.S. Army Reserve, 1993–2001; Iowa Army National Guard, 2001–2015 |
| Mikie Sherrill | NJ | U.S. Navy, 1994–2003 |
| Christina Houlahan | PA | U.S. Air Force, 1989–1991; U.S. Air Force Reserve, 1991–2004 |
| Elaine Luria | VA | U.S. Navy, 1997–2017 |