Motherhood and the Military, Apposing Forces? A Female Perspective.

Abstract

Becoming a mother is a life altering experience on its own. When women who serve in the military become mothers for the first time their cover as conceptual men is broken. Motherhood ultimately alters the playing field. This article explores the challenges of motherhood within the military. It investigates how women serving in the Irish Defence Forces navigate work life balance in a male dominated organisation as they undertake the most female role of all motherhood.  It explores issues that arise before during and after pregnancy and how the Defence Forces responds. The White Paper on Defence published in 2015, made a commitment to continue to progress work life balance initiatives for all members of the organisation (Department of Defence, 2015).This paper provides a valuable opportunity to generate narratives that have not been heard in the organisation before in response to this commitment.

This study confirmed that women re-evaluate their future careers when children arrive and based on current requirements for career progression within the Defence Forces are self-selecting not to progress. It also confirmed that the current career obstacles for many to overcome require a clear choice between family and work. This research drew attention to the fact that women are disadvantaged by common practices of performance appraisal when absent for maternity leave. This research has also demonstrated that women are highly committed to the Defence Forces and deeply appreciated of the statutory entitlements they receive. The article argues that, for the Irish Defence Forces to recruit, retain, promote and increase the number of women within the organisation, it is essential for it to acknowledge that the current practices do not fit with the way that women work. Failure to do so will continue to result in a loss of capability which the Defence Forces cannot afford.

Please note that the views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and should not be taken to represent the views of the Irish Defence Forces, the Command and Staff School or any other group or organisation.