In the military, diversity is just as important as it is anywhere else. Drawing from people with a variety of backgrounds is a priceless tool. However, for the ROTC programs at Iowa State, women are a group that still has small representation.

The numbers support this message. For the Army ROTC, each minority group is represented in an equal percentage as the university, except for women, where they have a smaller portion than the university, said Lt. Col. Ethan Dial of the Army ROTC.

On a broader scale, this is something that is shown in the U.S. military too. As of 2015, women only comprised 15.5 percent of the active duty population, according to the Department of Defense. This number comes nowhere close to the portion of women in America.

“Before I joined I kind of thought you had to be this hulked out, super fit and physical girl, but all types of women are here and it’s not intimidating,” said Savannah Hartman, sophomore in the Air Force ROTC.

Women in the military must learn how to handle their small representation. At Iowa State, female ROTC students embrace the opportunity.

Shannon Writt is a senior in the Army ROTC and has a leadership role as the public affairs officer. Entering into the program when she was younger, Writt said that she knew and expected women to be smaller in number.

“It is what it is,” said Writt.

As a woman, she will often be asked about issues directly from her point of view, and the men in the unit desire to know how she sees these topics differently. This is the advantage of having diversity, being able to gather different perspectives.

“Generally in life, people don’t ask the opinion of a chick, but it’s extremely relevant here,” said Writt.

Especially in the area of sexual assault, something the military takes many steps toward creating awareness about and preventing . Writt said that she will often be approached about her perspective and is truly listened to.

One value the ROTC programs and the military pushes is camaraderie among your fellow students and soldiers. The bonds that come from women being close with each other helps strengthen that.

“My first three years here, all my time, during ROTC, class or at home, I spent with other female cadets,” said Writt.

Physical fitness is a large part of what the ROTC students do, they have morning workouts multiple times a week and undergo fitness tests regularly.

“Naturally, often us women aren’t going to be able to physically equal the strength of the guys, and everyone understands that, and we’re held to different standards,” Hartman said.

Hartman is in her first year with the program, and from her experience joining, she wishes that during recruiting women were shown all the types of people in the military.

“I wish they showed that as a woman you don’t have be any sort of stereotypical personality of build, all different types of people are here and that’s welcoming,” said Hartman.

Male or female, the military asks for the same from everyone, and Writt doesn’t look at being a woman in ROTC as a disadvantage at all.

“Regardless of gender, serving the military should be very much about your own sense of duty,” said Writt.