Let female troops fight

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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More than 200,000 U.S. women serve in our armed forces - a dramatic increase from times past.

But Pentagon policy bars female troops from serving in units primarily involved in direct combat.

That despite the reality that female troops already are fighting in combat situations overseas.

Routinely in Iraq and Afghanistan, female troops are called to respond to insurgent attacks, to patrol unfriendly streets and serve as gunners - just like their male peers.

They even serve specialized functions, such as searching Iraqi and Afghan women for weapons, that male troops cannot do. But they do it as staff who are “attached” rather than assigned to combat units.

Officially, these women are filling support roles. Actually, they are actively engaged in battle.

Since 2001, 137 female U.S. service members have been killed fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Women have earned and been awarded medals for valor, including the Silver Star - one of the military's highest honors.

Changing the rule to allow qualifying women to serve openly in combat units would allow them other benefits and recognition they've earned through their heroism and selfless service.

It would open up about 10 percent of Army and Marine Corps occupations now closed to female troops. It would remove barriers to their promotion and advancement and allow commanders to freely choose the most capable troops for missions - regardless of gender.

Critics say few women would be able to meet the strict physical requirements for combat units. That doesn't justify denying combat opportunities to those women who do.

Military leaders should immediately begin to open combat opportunities to female troops who meet those combat standards - starting with the women who already are fighting on the front lines in combat-related roles.

That's the recommendation in a recently released draft report on diversity by the Military Leadership Diversity Commission, and it's a necessary policy shift to address unnecessary discrimination against female military personnel.

In a recently released draft report on diversity, the commission called the combat ban an outdated idea that unnecessarily discriminates against female troops. We agree.

There is little evidence that integrating women into other previously closed units or occupations has had a negative impact on performance or unit cohesion, the commission found.

In fact, at least one military focus group found most troops felt women serving in combat have had a positive impact on mission accomplishment in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Female troops continue to put their lives on the line every day overseas.

It's wrongheaded to continue to deny them the benefits and advancement they've earned.