West Point Works to Boost Female Cadet Numbers

Fewer than one in five cadets at West Point Military Academy is a woman, and the new superintendent wants to change that.

With the Pentagon lifting restrictions for women in combat jobs, Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr. has set a goal of boosting the number of women above 20 percent for the new class reporting this summer.

Women have been a presence at the nation's military academies since 1976. But they remain in the minority, just as they do in the broader military.

Caslen became superintendent last year. He says an increased number of female cadets at the storied academy will do more than serve the Army when thousands of combat positions are slated to open to both sexes by 2016. He says it will help integrate women at the academy.