Our View: A woman’s place? Fighting for her country

With the specter of Islamic State terrorism upon us, now might not seem the best moment to change the operations of the U.S. military. But change, especially of the historic variety, rarely comes at a perfect time. So it is with the Defense Department’s decision to open all combat jobs to women.

Army Rangers. Green Berets. Navy SEALs. The testosterone-driven Marine Corps infantry. As long as women can meet the same standards as men – with no shortcuts, no quotas and no allowances – they will be eligible to lead soldiers into combat the way men have for generations.

“There will be no exceptions,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said last Thursday.

The decision is certain to make some Americans uncomfortable. No one wants to think about young mothers on the front lines of a war being taken hostage, raped or beheaded. But the thought of a young father suffering the same fate should be no less disquieting.

Regardless, this decision is long overdue. In reality, women have been fighting – and dying – alongside men for years.

In the 1990s, Congress authorized women to fly combat missions. More recently, women served bravely in the murky fighting zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many saw combat, but weren’t given credit because of arcane policies that forbid women from officially holding positions in infantry, reconnaissance and special forces units. Their military careers suffered for it.

Still, integration will not be smooth, especially in the Marines. The branch asked for an exception, citing a study that found mixed-gender units are less effective in combat and more likely to suffer casualties. Those studies should not be discarded or taken lightly. They warrant further examination by the military and Congress in its review of Carter’s decision.

But we’re not breaking new ground. Norway was the first to allow women in combat in 1985. The Polish military followed in 2004, the United Kingdom in 2010, Australia in 2011. In Canada, most combat roles were opened to women in 1989. They make up 15 percent of Canada’s military, but only 2 percent serve in front-line units. In Israel, where women often show superior skills” in shooting and discipline, they have served in combat units since 2009. And Israeli women are required to perform two years of service.

Which brings us to the matter of the draft. American men must register for selective service at age 18. Women do not, mainly because women aren’t eligible for combat jobs. Now that’s changed.

The U.S. Court of Appeals weighed this issue, after a 2013 lawsuit filed by the National Coalition For Men. The plaintiffs contend the male-only draft is discriminatory. The court adjourned without a ruling. Still, the issue is unlikely to go away. The Defense Department hasn’t said much yet, but will soon.

Ultimately, making our military more inclusive won’t be easy. There will be unintended consequences. But, ultimately, our country will be better, and safer, for it.

This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Our View: A woman’s place? Fighting for her country."