Women in Combat
On January 24, following a unanimous recommendation by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that he was lifting the military’s official ban on women in combat. He added that the service branches will continue to move forward with a plan to eliminate all unnecessary gender-based barriers. “If members of our military can meet the qualifications for a job, then they should have the right to serve, regardless of creed, color, gender, or sexual orientation,” said Secretary Panetta, who is about to step down from his post after 18 months on the job. The new policy is…
