Most academies say jumps in female enrollment reflect growing demand and not any special recruiting efforts. Fitzpatrick, who has taught at the academy and works as a contractor for the Coast Guard, said she does not believe there should be targets for gender enrollment. At the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a slow and steady increase has brought female enrollment to around 22 percent. West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy, which are overseen by the Defense Department, have faced criticism from some who say female enrollment remains too low. Forty years after military service academies opened their doors to women, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy marked the milestone at a ceremony Monday as it welcomes a class with a record 38 percent of female cadets.

Source: ABC News June 27, 2016 17:04 UTC