Pentagon's Women-in-Combat Policy Faces Major Challenges in 2016

After Defense Secretary Ash Carter made history earlier this month when he announced that all combat jobs would be open to women, The Hill reports the Pentagon faces major challenges ahead in 2016 as it works to implement his order.

"How we implement this is key," Carter noted last month. "Simply declaring all career fields open is not successful integration. We must not only continue to implement change thoughtfully, but also track and monitor our progress to ensure we're doing it right."

While many male Special Forces commandos are set in their ways and oppose the defense secretary's orders, Megan MacKenzie, author of "Beyond the Band of Brothers: The U.S. Military and the Myth that Women Can't Fight," said that overcoming these individuals will be the toughest part of integrating the new policy.

"They feel what makes them special is being all male, and somehow integrating women is going to make them less special and less adept," MacKenzie said.

She added, "A lot of that is based on emotion and a lack of experience working with women."

"It's a slap in the face telling us that chicks can do our job," one Army Ranger said. "It's not the physical aspect that bothers me. My issues are morale and retention. This wouldn't be special to anyone anymore."

Another Special Operations Marines added that this new policy is strictly Washington politics.

"This is a political thing. This is people in Congress. Because there is no grassroots movement of women saying we want to . . . It's some congressmen trying to make equal rights for women. Whether anyone in this room wants to say it or not, that's what I think we all think."

However, the initiative was not only met with negative responses.

"I think we are selling ourselves short by not opening it up to the best individuals," a special operations Marine told The Hill.

"There are some positives. In some countries, two gorilla, tattooed men would look suspicious. But me and (a woman) walking down the street holding hands would not. It opens up new possibilities."

Although they are in support of allowing women-in-combat, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — the chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services committees — are conducting a 30-day review. Rep. Thornberry and Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., chairman of a subcomittee on military personnel,  have sent a letter to Carter, asking 17 questions about his decision.

Along with wondering how the four services will maintain gender-neutral standards and whether the decision has any legal implications on women registering for the draft, the letter adds that "the issue of women serving in all previously closed positions is complex and multi-facet, and the department's decision must be carefully reviewed to evaluate its impact on military readiness."

Reps. Thornberry and Heck requested a response to their letter by Jan. 3 and an aide for McCain told The Hill that a hearing is planned for after the Senate returns from the holiday recess.

Related Stories:

• Marine Corps Study: Few Nations Open Combat Roles to Women
• Women in Combat Put Men at Risk