The FAQs: Women in Combat

Note: The FAQs is a TGC series in which we answer your questions about the latest news and current events.

What is the new change concerning women in combat?

Last week, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta lifted the military's official ban on women in combat, which will open up hundreds of thousands of additional front-line jobs to females in the military. Under the new policy, women may soon be able to volunteer—or be assigned—to infantry, artillery, and other front line combat units.

Each branch of the military will have to come up with an implementation plan in the next several months. If a branch of the military decides that a specific job should not be opened to a woman, representatives of that branch will have to ask the defense secretary for an exception.

Haven't women already been serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Technically, no. While women are allowed to serve in air and sea combat operations and are allowed to serve in certain units that expose them to danger and harm (800 women have been wounded in the two wars and more than 130 have died), they are not allowed to serve in the artillery, armor, infantry, and other such combat roles. During President Bill Clinton's first term, the Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum on the "Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule." The memo defined "direct ground combat" as:   Continue at Joe Carter

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