Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced Thursday, that the ban on women serving in combat would be lifted.
As we first reported, when the two women sued the Pentagon from camp Pendleton as well as some other women, for the right to fight in combat this suit was sometimes misleading.
Women in the National Guard have been fighting in combat roles for years, but not every combat role was open to women and that is what Thursday's announcement does. It helps to even out the gender roles.
Women in the Pennsylvania National Guard Have been fighting alongside of men since day one.
Major Angela King Sweigart, spokesperson with the Pennsylvania National Guard says the 1994 band was specific to which jobs were only open to males. "It meant women couldn't serve in certain jobs, such as infantry, artillery and a few other jobs."
But she says the military needs changed over the years, a new job and job requirements were added and many times women found themselves on the so-called frontlines.
This move to lift the ban is another attempt to make jobs more gender-neutral, but she says this announcement will take time to implement. "Right now, nothing for us changes in the Pennsylvania National Guard going forward. Each service will then have to just develop a guidance to comply with lifting of the memo."
The Major says it's also too early to speculate, whether this lifted ban on women in combat, will call for things like a draft.
The Pentagon has lifted its ban on women in combat, a move that many female service members are applauding. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the historic change today.
Leon Panetta, Defense Secretary:
"If they're willing to put their lives on the line, then we ought to recognize that they deserve a chance to serve in any capacity they want."
The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended the new policy which will open up more than 200,000 frontline jobs to women, mostly in the Army and Marines. Lifting the ban, means more advancement, and higher pay for female officers.
General Martin Dempsey, Joint Chiefs of Staff:
"The burden used to be, we used to say, why should a woman serve in a particular specialty? Now, it's why shouldn't a woman serve in a particular specialty."
The changes will not come overnight. The new policy will be phased in over the next 3 years. Panetta's announcement comes 8 weeks after two women from Camp Pendleton, along with two other service women, sued the Pentagon for the right to fight in combat.
Women will have to meet fitness requirements, which could keep them out of some units. But many service women say just the chance is progress. At least 130 women have been killed in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 800 have been wounded.