The most prominent demographic difference between men and women in the military is the racial composition of the two groups. While 71% of active-duty men are white (including white Hispanics), only about half of active-duty women (53%) are white.

Among military women, 31% are black (including black Hispanics). This is almost twice the share of active-duty men who are black (16%), as well as more than twice the proportion of civilian women ages 18-44 who are black (15%). In addition, there are more women of mixed racial background or some other race in the active-duty force than men in the active-duty force or civilian women ages 18-44. Read More

Russell Heimlich  is a former web developer at Pew Research Center.