▁ 1 5 0 ▁years . ▁Att itudes ▁toward ▁them ▁r anged ▁from ▁enthus ias m ▁and ▁am usement ▁to ▁open ▁host ility . ▁But ▁not ▁all ▁the ▁ob jections ▁were ▁personal ▁or ▁pet ty . ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁men ▁simply ▁failed ▁to ▁see ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁service , ▁while ▁others ▁felt ▁it ▁was ▁an ▁unnecessary ▁exp ense . ▁However , ▁if ▁the ▁women ▁were ▁equal ▁to ▁the ▁job ▁the ▁men ▁were ▁willing ▁to ▁give ▁them ▁their ▁due . ▁Many ▁men , ▁regular s ▁and ▁res erv ists , ▁supported ▁them , ▁taught ▁them ▁the ▁ro pes , ▁and ▁gave ▁them ▁encourag ement . ▁ ▁Women ▁of ▁the ▁SP AR S ▁ ▁The ▁average ▁SP AR ▁officer ▁was ▁ 2 9 ▁years ▁old , ▁single , ▁a ▁college ▁gradu ate , ▁and ▁had ▁worked ▁seven ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁professional ▁or ▁manager ial ▁position ▁( in ▁education ▁or ▁government ) ▁before ▁entering ▁the ▁service . ▁The ▁average ▁en list ed ▁SP AR ▁was ▁ 2 4 ▁years ▁old , ▁single , ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁gradu ate , ▁and ▁had ▁worked ▁for ▁over ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁cler ical ▁or ▁sales ▁job ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁service . ▁The ▁lik elihood ▁was ▁that ▁she ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Massachusetts , ▁New ▁York , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁Illinois , ▁Ohio , ▁or ▁California . ▁The ▁reasons ▁for ▁becoming ▁a ▁SP AR ▁differ ed , ▁but ▁most ▁likely ▁it ▁was ▁patri ot ism , ▁self - ad van cement , ▁desire ▁for ▁travel ▁and ▁advent