On June 12, 1948, President Harry Truman signed into law the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. The Act gave women permanent status in the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marines. The services became an All-Volunteer Force in 1973, and since then, women have increasingly become more involved in all levels of military services.
Today’s battles are being fought beyond the traditional “front lines.” Females have been awarded with medals of valor and have embedded with male counterparts to engage the enemy. With the battlefields growing more abstract, new questions have been asked as to what the true impact of allowing women into combat-related job fields may be .
Current combat exclusion policies restrict females in the Marine Corps from serving in the infantry and prohibits them from being assigned to units with the greatest physical risks. Along with infantry, females cannot serve in artillery, tanks or amphibious vehicle job fields.
A recent survey conducted by the Washington post says 7 in 10 Americans support allowing women in combat. What are your thoughts?
Previous Polls:
Do you feel the Marine Corps force restructure will change its dynamic in any way?
Who should rate Basic Allowance for Housing?
Can the Corps’ amphibious mission survive without the EFV?
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Two weeks after the last shot
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