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Marine
Expeditionary
Marines ought not to engage civilian
women.
So, women
are there
Armyforces
is the largest combat force. The in
Units because
of a growing
recognition
that inwith
manythe very
countries,
male Marines
ought
to engageGet
civilian
that are waging combat; they are
in combat,
but not
“in not
combat.’’
it? at the Pentagon is about finding a unifie
without alienating too many of the troop
women. So, women are there with the very forces that
Neither, often, does theare
military.
Defense
women
being done
in the midst of growing conc
waging combat;
theyDepartment
are in combat,definitions
but not ‘‘in prohibit
who are placed “well forward combat.’’
on the battlefield’’;
Army policy omits that phrase
sexualand
assaults against female soldiers.
Get it?
Unlike with the ban on the homosexu
often, does
the military.
instead adds that women will notNeither,
be assigned
to any
forces Defense
that areDepart“repelling the
male combat exclusion is not a statutory
ment definitions prohibit women who are placed
enemy.’’
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta can cha
‘‘well forward on the battlefield’’; Army policy omits
Even forgiving the paternalism
allinstead
theseadds
rules,
ofwill
these
makes
his own.
The Marines are said to be relu
that phrasein
and
thatnone
women
not definitions
be
change
the policy, just as they were with
assignedwarfare.
to any forces
‘‘repelling
the enemy.’’
much sense when applied to modern
Asthat
theare
Service
Women’s
Action
Network,
tell.’’
Even forgiving the paternalism in all these rules,
an organization committed to repealing
the ban, notes: “Iraq and Afghanistandon’t
exemplify
The Pentagon is in its own internal w
none of these definitions makes much sense when
asymmetric battlegrounds, where
thetopotential
for engagement
inWomen’s
direct ground
ispolicy reflect the reality
gles combat
to make its
applied
modern warfare.
As the Service
Action Network, an organization committed to reThe integration of African-Americans in
ever present.’’
pealing the ban, notes: ‘‘Iraq and Afghanistan exitary is not too grand of an analogy for th
As the Pentagon faces emplify
the harsh
realities of budget cuts and war, it is that
reviewing
asymmetric battlegrounds, where the potenthe Pentagon will have to overcome
the utilization of all the skills of
all
its
troops.
Earlier
in
2011,
the
Military
Leadership
tial for engagement in direct ground combat is ever
transformation, the military survived an
present.’’ ending the ban, noting that the rule creates
modelavehicle for blacks to break their p
Diversity Commission recommended
As the Pentagon faces the harsh realities of budget
glass ceiling.
structural barrier that prohibitscuts
women
from tactical field experience, which is the
and war, it is reviewing the utilization of all the
The lives of over 130 women suggest
traditional route to becoming askills
flagofor
the Army’sbroken
403 general
allgeneral
its troops.officer.
Earlier inOnly
2011,24
theof
Military
already.
Diversity
Commission
recommended
officers (6 percent) are female,Leadership
for example,
though
women
represent roughly 15 percent
ending the ban, noting that the rule creates a strucJuliette Kayyem can be reached at
of the force.
tural barrier that prohibits women from tactical field
[email protected] and Twitter @julie
To understand how
women can fight, but
still not be in combat,
is all about definition.
In response, Congress demanded that the service secretaries review all policies
regarding female members. That report was due on April 15, 2011. The Pentagon asked
for an extension through October. It missed that deadline, too.
The delay is not unusual, but reflects the magnitude of the potential change ahead.
Publicly, senior military and civilian leaders are expressing frustration with a policy that
adheres to notions of physical aptitude or troop cohesion that were used to exclude
African-Americans and gays in the past.
New Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno has said that initial Pentagon
attempts to clarify the policy do not represent the “things that our women are doing in
combat.’’ According to sources, first drafts held firm to the exclusionary policy, but that
was before Oriderno had been elevated to his role.
Last week, departing Army Vice Chief of Staff General Peter Chiarelli focused on
the anachronism of the combat exclusion in an interview with the Washington Post.
Chiarelli clearly wanted his final public statements in uniform to be remembered. Simply
put: in a “nonlinear battlefield there are no safe jobs.’’
Army leadership is important here because the Army is the largest combat force.
The internal debate at the Pentagon is about finding a unified approach without alienating
too many of the troops. And it is being done in the midst of growing concerns about
sexual assaults against female soldiers.
Unlike with the ban on the homosexuals, the female combat exclusion is not a
statutory prohibition; Defense Secretary Leon Panetta can change policy on his own. The
Marines are said to be reluctant to change the policy, just as they were with “don’t ask,
don’t tell.’’
The Pentagon is in its own internal war as it struggles to make its policy reflect
the reality of warfare. The integration of African-Americans into the military is not too
grand of an analogy for the challenges that the Pentagon will have to overcome. After
that transformation, the military survived and became a model vehicle for blacks to break
their proverbial glass ceiling.
The lives of over 130 women suggest that theirs is broken already.
Juliette Kayyem can be reached at [email protected] and Twitter @juliettekayyem.