The US military will open all combat jobs to women, US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said on Thursday, despite objections by the Marine Corps.
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Previously, women were barred from serving the 220,000 jobs, including infantry, armor, reconnaissance and some special operations units, reports CNN. But after three years of studying the effect of women in the armed forces, Carter decided to make a blanket rule to open every combat position to women, without exceptions, as long as they meet the standards. But a Marine Corps study made public by a women’s advocacy group this week found that after months of testing mixed-gender combat units, troops reported morale equal to that of all-male groups and higher than noncombat integrated groups.
Carter said he considered the Marine Corps’ request and believed its concerns could be addressed with careful implementation of the decision.
In remarks from the Pentagon, Carter said he is directing all the military services to open all military occupational specialties to women within 30 days.
Given the tough physical standards, Mr Carter stressed that equal opportunity would probably not translate to equal participation of men and women in all roles.
“Today I’m announcing my decision not to make continued exceptions”, Carter said.
Though Carter’s announcement is historic, the policy change has been in the works for more than two years. But Carter overruled the general, saying that because the military is a joint force – and because no other commanders sided with the Marines-integration must proceed jointly.
Over the years, in particular during the last seven years of Obama Administration, armed forces was gradually opened up for women. Retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan, president of the Association of the U.S. Army and former Army chief of staff, said in a statement that he supported Carter’s decision.
Carter acknowledged that the changes “won’t happen overnight”, and that there are still “challenges to overcome”, but it’s a groundbreaking move nonetheless. The U.S. military is now an all-volunteer force, but young men are still required to register in case the draft is reactivated.
The military has since then also been studying how to open elite fighting units, such as the Army Rangers and the Navy SEALS, and weighing whether some positions should continue to exclude women. “Attracting the best and staying the best means that wherever possible, we must open ourselves to the talents and strengths of all Americans who can contribute with excellence to our force”, he said.
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“The military has long prided itself on being a meritocracy, where those who serve are not judged based on who they are or where they come from, but rather what they offer to help defend this country”, said Carter.
