The shift to all-volunteer military forces in the newly developed county is likely to lead to a rise in the percentage of females in the military and in the array of women's duties, but probably not the significant gains for women that might have been expected. This is so even though the armed forces operate within a culture of institutional change aimed at advancing occupational equality and are under the federal sanction of equal pay for equal work. The challenge is that women are unlikely to undergo training for any direct combat operations. A considerable portion of the larger society remains uncomfortable as yet with extending equality in this direction. Therefore, for women in the military, the pursuit of equality will continue to rely on functional equivalence, rather than identity or even similarity of task. Opportunities seem certain to arise. The increasing focus on deterrence is sure to offer increasing scope for women to be involved in unique kinds of noncombat military roles.