A draft report by the Military Leadership Diversity Commission recommends that the military take action to lift the longstanding restriction on women serving in combat roles in the military.
The draft report is being discussed by members of the 24-member commission on Thursday and Friday. The change can be implemented without congressional approval.
The Department of Defense, the draft report recommends, should remove the “combat exclusion policies” for women to “create a level playing field for all qualified servicemembers”
“One frequently-cited argument in favor of the current policy is that having women serving in direct combat will hamper mission effectiveness by hurting unit morale and cohesion,” states the draft report, “comparable arguments were made with respect to racial integration, but were ultimately never borne out.”
In concurrence with permitting women to serve in combat roles, the commission is likely to recommend changes to allow for women to be promoted to top ranks within the military.
The non-traditional combat of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has already introduced female soldiers to many of the risks experienced by their male counterparts. Stars and Stripes reports that 114 women have been killed in Iraq and 23 in Afghanistan.