Several combat roles have restricted women in the U.S. Military for numerous years.  The 1994 Combat Exclusion Policy has kept female soldiers from being infantry, artillery, combat engineers, etc., but that’s about to change.   President Obama supports and advocates for the position as it was announced today.

However, Secretary Carter never stated or clarified equality also means women would be forced to register for selective service (draft); and/or if women would be forced into combat infantry roles as their male counterparts have been.  Thirty percent of infantry positions are filled by command determination and not volunteers…

WASHINGTON DC – […]  Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced today that all combat positions will now be open to women, saying, “When I became secretary of defense, I made a commitment to building America’s force of the future. In the 21st century that requires drawing strength from the broadest possible pool of talent. This includes women.”

According to The New York Times, the Marines had been opposed to this decision and put out a study back in September saying that gender-integrated units were not as effective as all-male units.

But Carter overruled their objection and clarified today that units would likely remain largely male and there would be “no quotas or perception thereof.”  (read more)

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