Pentagon allowing women to act in some combat roles
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Vee Penrod, deputy under secretary of defense for military personnel policy, speaks Thursday at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. Ms. Penrod briefed reporters on the results of the Defense Department's review on women in service.
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Early in her military career in the Pennsylvania National Guard, Sgt. Danielle Burton was interested in the infantry, but a 1994 combat exclusion policy prohibited women from serving in infantry, armor and special operations forces.
Nevertheless, during two tours in Iraq as a petroleum supply specialist and working with helicopters and resupply convoys, she saw her share of combat and even earned a combat service badge. Numerous times, her base was under attack by mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. Humvees in convoys with which she traveled were blown up by roadside bombs.
She was one of thousands of female soldiers excluded from combat who experienced the reality of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where battle lines are blurred and fluid, making it impossible for military women to steer clear of danger.
Recognizing that fact, and in an effort to provide more opportunities for women in the military, the Defense Department announced Thursday changes to its assignment policy that will result in 14,325 additional positions being opened to women.
The majority of those jobs, 13,139 Army positions, are in specialties such as tank mechanic and field artillery radar operator, positions previously barred for women because they were physically located with direct ground combat units. The Army, Marines and Navy have been granted exceptions to the policy to allow select positions at the battalion level in specialties already open to women, opening 1,186 additional positions.
Sgt. Burton was happy to hear of the change but felt it didn't go far enough. In her mind, if a woman can physically and mentally perform the challenges necessary for infantry, armor and special operations forces, they should be given the opportunity.
"I think if you can do the job, you should be allowed to try," said Sgt. Burton, who remains in the National Guard and works as prosthetics inventory manager at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. "It's not for everybody. There are some guys not fit for an infantry role. As long as [women] can meet the demands, it shouldn't be a problem.
"I think we can do the job. We're trained the same as the male soldiers are."
First Published February 10, 2012 12:00 am
