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From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues

Should Women be Barred from Combat Positions?

Congressional Research Service (CRS), 2012

David F. Burrelli

Specialist in Military Manpower Policy

Those who emphasize equal rights, responsibilities and women’s abilities,50 say women in the armed forces cannot advance to the top without combat experience. Some carry the argument further to say that women cannot be equal in society as long as they are barred from full participation in all levels of the national security system. In their view, modern weapons have equalized the potential for women in combat, since wars are less likely to be fought on a hand-to-hand basis, and have made it impossible to protect women from the destructiveness of combat; in any event, properly trained women would be able to fight successfully and exempting them from combat is not fair to men. Some note that equal access to combat would also require the equal responsibilities of registering for and being subject to the draft.51 In the Supreme Court decision in Rostker v. Goldberg, in the majority opinion, Justice William Rehnquist wrote “[t]he existence of the combat restrictions clearly indicates the basis for Congress’ decision to exempt women from registration. The purpose of registration was to prepare for a draft of combat troops. Since women are excluded from combat, Congress concluded that they would not be needed in the event of a draft, and therefore decided not to register them.”52 It has been suggested that this issue can be made moot by terminating Selective Service registration.

Supporters of opening more areas to women note that they are already serving, fighting, and in some cases, dying in combat.53 Critics contend that it is the military that is ignoring its own policy and thereby creating a fait accompli that puts women and the military mission at risk.54

Those opposed to women in combat note that the progress of women is not the most important issue at hand. They contend that national security has been and would further be jeopardized because of the presence of women in the ranks. They note the Canadian experience in which women were recruited for the 16-week infantry training course which was identical to the men’s course. The outcome was described as the ‘high cost of recruiting women that yielded poor results.’55 These critics note disruptions to cohesion and high rates of attrition for females in labor intensive specialties due to lower average upper body strength and higher rates of stress fractures. Those opposed note that close combat situations have and continue to exist, especially in Afghanistan, and that there is a distinction between ‘returning fire’ and ‘offensive close combat.’

Since women themselves are divided on the issue,56 one option is to permit women who meet the service standards (physical, training, etc.) to be assigned to combat positions, but that they should be sent into combat only if they volunteer for such missions. Critics contend that it would be unfair to permit women a choice that is not available to men, and that to make the choice available to both men and women would make if difficult for the services to function, especially in the event of war or national emergency.

Any changes proposed by the Services will likely be subjected to congressional scrutiny. Congress may accept any proposed changes or seek to subject such changes to certain limitations. Conversely, Congress may consider that any proposed changes remain too restrictive concerning the availability of combat roles for women.

50 Bacon, Lance M., Odierno: “We Need Their Talent,” Army Times, October 24, 2011. Odierno: “This is about managing talent. We have incredibly talented females who should be in those positions. We have work to do within the [Department of Defense] to get them to recognize and change.”

51 A Draft for Women?, New York Post, June 19, 2011.

52 Rostker v. Goldberg, 453 U.S. 57 (1981).

53 Baldor, Lolita C., Associated Press, Yahoo.com, Death Highlights Women’s Role in Special Ops Teams, Yahoo.com, October 25, 2011.

54 Maurer, Kevin, The Army Is Recruiting Elite Women Soldiers, The Washington Post Magazine, October 30, 2011. “While Congress still bans women from serving in combat units, the [female] soldiers selected from this group will serve alongside the Army’s most elite units on the battlefield.” This article incorrectly stated that Congress bans women from serving in combat units.

55 “Of the 60 women recruited for the Canadian Infantry since last year, only one has successfully completed the 16-week training program and is serving in the infantry, according to Cmdr. Judith Harper....”, Moore, Molly, Canada Puts Women on Front Line, Los Angeles Times, November 23, 1989. More recently, Israel expanded combat roles for women with mixed results. Gil Ronen, “General Who Supported Women in Combat Says: ‘No More!’” Israel National News, July 23, 2011.

56 Both men (53%) and women (53%) favor an expanded role for women in the military. See http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/15/opinion/polls/main5244312.shtml. See also Dan Lamothe, “Marines Split on Women Joining Combat Units,” Marine Corps Times, April 19, 2011.

Source: www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42075.pdf.

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An ongoing issue for women in the military has been restrictions in the positions they can hold. Since the 1970s, the limitations have been lifted on many positions, but serving in combat has been one of the last barriers to women’s full participation in the military. Women have argued that many of the positions they hold place them in combat situations, making the prohibitions a matter of appearance rather than reality. In January 2013, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta explained that the limits would be reviewed and lifted.

Citation Types

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MLA 9th
"Should Women Be Barred From Combat Positions?." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, edited by Suzanne O’Dea, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_1069.
APA 7th
Should Women be Barred from Combat Positions?. From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, In S. O’Dea (Ed.), Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_1069.
CMOS 17th
"Should Women Be Barred From Combat Positions?." From Suffrage to the Senate America's Political Women: An Encyclopedia of Leaders, Causes & Issues, Edited by Suzanne O’Dea. Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=Suffrage3e_1069.