Defense Chief Announces All Combat Roles Will Open Up to Women

All combat roles in each branch of the USA military will be open to women, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced today at the Pentagon.

He added that as long as they were qualified and meet the standards, women would now be able to contribute to the USA mission in ways they could not before. After lengthy reviews, the Army, Navy, Air Force and U.S. Special Operations Command had recommended that women should be allowed to serve in all combat units.

The Pentagon announced in 2013 that it would open combat positions to women, and the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines released plans to open occupations such as infantry, armour and special operations by 2016.

Previously, General Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff contended that some combat jobs should stay male-only, reportedlysubmitting a report about five-inches thick outlining why he believes women should not be allowed to compete for certain Marine infantry and front-line jobs. Being unable to officially serve in combat roles created a “brass ceiling”, since official recognition for combat service is crucial for being promoted into senior military ranks.

The Pentagon and others in government have been studying and debating the issue for years; now that the decision has been made, the mandate for acting on it is a matter of days. Among other things, it is an acknowledgement that American women have risked, and often sacrificed, their lives in every war since the Revolution.

The historic step trumps a Marine Corps call for a partial exemption after it claimed mixed-gender combat units were not as effective as male groups. And while at the end of the day this will make us a better and stronger force, there still will be problems to fix and challenges to overcome.

Carter disagreed and said there will be no exceptions, but everyone in the roles will still have to meet the necessary standards.

“We are a joint force, and I’ve chose to make a decision that applies to the entire force”, Carter said.

Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver faced similar criticism in August when they became the first women in history to graduate from U.S. Army Ranger School, the most physically and mentally demanding program in the Army. There would be no quotas for women to serve in certain roles or units, he said. “This decision is long overdue”.

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Congress will review the data and the decision.

The official, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, said finalised plans will be required to be in place by 1 April. “If you are a service member you have some choice, but not absolute choice”, said Carter.