Demographic Factors Influencing the Career Progression of Female Commissioned Officers in the Zambia Army

This study surveyed 118 female commissioned officers in the Zambia Army to investigate the factors influencing their career progression, focusing on key demographics such as marital status, spouse type, age, and education level. The findings revealed that marital status significantly impacted advancement, with 66.07% of married officers reaching senior ranks compared to 17.86% of unmarried officers. Officers married to military personnel had an advancement probability of 87.50%, while those married to civilians had 47.37%. Age played a role, with 89.66% of officers aged 41 and older advancing, compared to none under 25. Education also mattered, as higher qualifications correlated with a 59.65% advancement rate. Logistic regression indicated that unmarried officers had 89% lower odds of advancing, while residing in Lusaka and being married to military spouses increased chances by 40.05 times and 7.41 times, respectively. The study emphasises the need for policies supporting female officers’ career opportunities in the Army.