Pentagon To Announce Women Are Allowed In Frontline Ground Combat Positions

The US government is to tell the military it has to open all combat jobs to women – giving them until the beginning of the new year to submit plans on how to make the historic change happen. Army leaders have recommended opening all combat arms jobs to women, while Corps leaders want to keep some jobs male-only, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

The armed services had been given a December 31 deadline to allow women into all of its units, including elite special operations ground combat position, or to request a waiver.

An official announcement is expected Thursday afternoon.

Carter said the decision was part of his commitment to build a force of the future.

Carter had pledged to thoroughly review the recommendations, particularly those of the Marine Corps, but said he generally believes that any qualified candidate should be allowed to compete for jobs.

A third woman who began in that same class also earned her Ranger tab, but graduated with a later class. The Army also previously announced that all future classes of Ranger School would be open to women. Three women have passed the grueling tests and have earned coveted Ranger tag.

The decision comes after several years of study, and will wipe away generations of limits on how and where women can fight for their country.