Beyond the Spotlight: 10 Famous Women Who Served in the Military

A Legacy of Service

Women have played vital roles in military history, both officially and unofficially, dating back to the American Revolutionary War. While navigating traditionally male-dominated environments has often presented significant challenges, many women have successfully served their countries across various branches of the armed forces. Recent data from the U.S. Department of Defense highlights a continued upward trend in female participation; in 2023, women held 17.7% of active-duty roles, and by August 2025, reports indicated that 24,000 women had entered basic training that year, a notable increase from 16,700 in 2024.

Historical Icons and Royal Duty

The history of women in service includes figures like Harriet Tubman, who is widely recognized for her work with the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, Tubman served as a spy, recruiter, and military leader for the Union Army. In 1863, she made history as the first woman in the United States to lead a military expedition, guiding soldiers to liberate enslaved people from South Carolina plantations. Her covert operations were so sensitive that they were known only to President Lincoln at the time.

In the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II remains the only female member of the Royal Family to have served in the armed forces. At 18, she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War II. Known then as “Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor,” she trained as a mechanic and operated military trucks.

From Hollywood to the Air Force

Many familiar faces in entertainment also spent time in uniform. Before she became a household name on “The Golden Girls,” Bea Arthur enlisted in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve at age 21. Serving as a typist and truck driver, she eventually reached the rank of staff sergeant before her honorable discharge in 1945. Similarly, “Stranger Things” actor Jennifer Marshall served five years in the U.S. Navy, working as a forklift operator and logistics specialist while also supporting the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s Sexual Assault Victim Intervention program.

Other entertainers utilized their service to build professional skills. Food Network star Sunny Anderson served in the U.S. Air Force as a radio broadcaster and journalist, seeking training that would assist her post-military career. Radio personality Robin Quivers served as a captain in the Air Force, having joined as a nurse after college. She remained in the reserves until 1990, even while beginning her long-standing tenure on “The Howard Stern Show.” Additionally, actor Zulay Henao served three years in the U.S. Army after high school, crediting the experience with providing her a unique perspective on the world.

Athletic Excellence and Aviation Pioneers

The intersection of military service and high-level athletics is well-documented. Olympic bobsledder Shauna Rohbock participated in the Utah Army National Guard’s Outstanding Athlete Program, while First Lt. Amber English achieved Olympic gold in skeet shooting at the 2020 Tokyo Games while serving as a logistics officer in the Army Marksmanship Unit.

In the field of aviation, Eileen Collins broke significant barriers. After joining the Air Force in 1978, she became one of the first four women to complete pilot training at Vance Air Force Base. By age 23, she was the Air Force’s first female flight instructor, a path that eventually led her to become NASA’s first female space shuttle commander.

Source: businessinsider.com