Earlier this month, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee announced plans to open seven currently male-only, direct combat jobs to women by spring of 2016.<\/p>\n
While I commend the Air Force for this initiative, I first want to point out that women in our armed-forces have been in combat situations from the beginning. Whether as nurses or in other positions, women have been serving in combat and have sacrificed just as much as our male counterparts.<\/p>\n
\u00a0I am excited that these currently male-only direct-combat jobs will be open to women. Today, only seven jobs in the Air Force are closed to women to include special tactics officer, pararescue, tactical air control party (TACP), combat rescue officer, combat control team, special operation weather officer and enlisted.<\/p>\n
Other service branches have already begun implementing plans to integrate women into direct-combat jobs by January 2016.<\/p>\n
It has been nearly two years since then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered that all (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Earlier this month, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee announced plans to open seven currently male-only, direct combat jobs to women by spring of 2016. While I commend the Air Force for this initiative, I first want to point out that…<\/span><\/p>\n