A military study group spent three years trying to figure out what will entice more women to enlist in the Canadian Armed Forces.
The group called the “Tiger Team” was tasked with finding out where the military could do a better job of getting women to want to enroll and the results included things like referring to medals as “bling,” and more fashionable uniforms like “shorter, tighter skirts” and “more stylish shoes,” according to MilitaryTimes.com in a piece published Wednesday. (RELATED: ‘God Bless All Our Heroes In Uniform’: Ivanka Trump Touts Marines Defending US Embassies)
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Another idea included a video concept showing a woman throwing a grenade with the slogan, “Of course I throw like a girl but I never miss.”
The Tiger Team concluded that, the Canadian Armed Forces Dress Committee is “composed of middle-aged males whose outlook is not reflective of current trends among the target demographic.”
“Yet systemic barriers remain in place, making the military a less than desirable choice for the majority of young Canadian women,” the team shared, according to a report in the Ottawa Citizen.
According to documents obtained by the Citizen, only 16 percent of Canadian women serve in the armed services. The Canadian military officials would like to see the number grow by 25 percent by the year 2026.
According to the report:
Advertisements aimed at the younger generation are also important. One proposal to highlight work and life balance for a young woman in the Canadian Forces called for a video showing a female soldier taking off her helmet at the end of the day while ‘male and female co-workers gather and agree to having a camp fire at a sandy beach.’ Later they ‘grill marshmallows, laughing and relaxing.’
Some of the causes for a lack of women in the ranks reportedly included the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and sexual harassment.
“That’s not an especially flattering portrayal of female values,” National Post columnist Marni Soupcoff wrote in response to the study.