Panetta to lift ban on women in combat

Well, sometimes equality can be a bitch.

Women in all branches of the military soon will have unprecedented opportunities to serve on the front lines of the nation's wars.

Leon Panetta, in one of his last acts as President Obama's defense secretary, is preparing to announce the policy change, which would open hundreds of thousands of front-line positions and potentially elite commando jobs after more than a decade at war, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.

The groundbreaking move recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff overturns a 1994 rule banning women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units. Panetta's decision gives the military services until January 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women.

"This policy change will initiate a process whereby the services will develop plans to implement this decision, which was made by the secretary of defense upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," a senior defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Some front-line military roles may open to women as soon as this year. Assessments for others, such as special operations forces, including Navy SEALS and the Army's Delta Force, may take longer.

A defense official told the Associated Press that the military chiefs must report back to Panetta with their initial implementation plans by May 15. The announcement on Panetta's decision is not expected until Thursday, so the official spoke on condition of anonymity.

Panetta's move expands the Pentagon's action nearly a year ago to open about 14,500 combat positions to women, nearly all of them in the Army. This decision could open more than 230,000 jobs, many in Army and Marine infantry units, to women.

In recent years the necessities of war propelled women into jobs as medics, military police and intelligence officers that were sometimes attached -- but not formally assigned -- to units on the front lines.
Women comprise 14 percent of the 1.4 million active military personnel.

Panetta is preparing to step down as Obama begins his second term, with former Sen. Charles Hagel nominated to take Panetta's place.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013...#ixzz2IqP1jLzZ

Have you ever seen a woman throw a ball?

Imagine if it was a grenade.

I'm all for it! As long as a soldier can fulfill the physical requirements for a front line job, bring 'em on. There may be some jobs that woman and/or men can not physically perform. If so, find another soldier who can.

It's not rocket science!

Yeah.........and when it's that time of the month we can rotate them on the front lines.

....PMS shock and awe!


I can just hear the cry for "MEDIC!" for that open wound that never heals.

Right bigKotex ???

Have you ever seen a woman throw a ball?

Imagine if it was a grenade. Originally Posted by TheDaliLama

Better than you pussy.

Have you ever seen a woman throw a ball?

Imagine if it was a grenade. Originally Posted by TheDaliLama

Better than you pussy. Originally Posted by i'va biggen

haha...... awesome

I never thought I'd live to see out of the closet gays and women serving on the front lines. Obama is deliberately destroying our ability to defend the country. It's sickening.

I never thought I'd live to see out of the closet gays and women serving on the front lines. Obama is deliberately destroying our ability to defend the country. It's sickening. Originally Posted by joe bloe

I suspect those "women" that you seem to be so concerned about, have more balls than the common ol' everyday Joe the Bloehard!

I suspect those "women" that you seem to be so concerned about, have more balls than the common ol' everyday Joe the Bloehard! Originally Posted by bigtex

What do you think will happen when women start getting drafted? Are we going to have pregnant women in combat? This is not a game. Our national defense is not something to be played with.

What do you think will happen when women start getting drafted? Are we going to have pregnant women in combat? This is not a game. Our national defense is not something to be played with. Originally Posted by joe bloe

Sergeant Hulka: Lighten up, Francis. We're all in this together. One of these men (or pregnant women) may save your life one of these days, you understand that?

'Winger: Then again maybe one of us won't.

sorry, reminded me of Stripes

I personally don't like the idea of women serving on the front lines.
I have 2 cousins who swear they are GI fucking Jane. I bet they are jumping for joy.

What do you think will happen when women start getting drafted? Originally Posted by joe bloe

Hello, is anybody home? Since 1973 our military has been made up of all volunteers!

Have you ever seen a woman throw a ball?

Imagine if it was a grenade. Originally Posted by TheDaliLama

Have you ever seen a woman Nekkid?

As long as the physical requirements are the same then I see no problem with it. That means women must meet the same PT requirements, the same lifting requirements, endurance tests, etc. Just like with men, if someone can't cut the requirements they are reassigned to some other duty. And women must also be required to register for the draft just like men.