WAAC compromised several of Congresswoman Rogers’ desires for a women’s corp. For example, auxiliaries weren't prohibited from going abroad, but were also not provided with the overseas pay granted to male soldiers deployed overseas. Furthermore, if WAACs were captured, they weren’t protected by the government’s prisoners of war agreements. WAACs were also not given government life insurance, veterans medical coverage, or death benefits. WAAC’s pay scale was a rank lower than the Army pay scale as well. A WAAC first officer had jobs equivalent to those of an Army captain, but was paid at the level of an Army lieutenant. |
(Courtesy of The Feminist Majority Foundation and The Women of World War II)
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Despite this, WAACs were often better educated than their male counterparts and were said to be more hardworking and superior at their jobs than men had been. A signal corp officer said, “They (WAACs) were fast and accurate… We could have used hundreds more…” “Phone service also improved 100% after WAACs took over the duty” - General W.B. Smith. Notwithstanding the compromises Rogers had to make, the establishment of any organization dedicated to women assisting the military was an unprecedented accomplishment. |
"The Army and Congress wanted to make sure that the women (of WAAC) had predetermined roles and wouldn't go out of these roles. Theirs was a principle role but was a lot of doing service on the home front of America (rather than abroad)." -Personal Interview with George C. Marshall Foundation Director of Archives and Library, Jeffrey Kozak
“You have taken off silk and put on khaki. You have a debt to democracy and a date with destiny.” -Colonel Hobby, 1942