Women Warriors Move by Panetta Advances Obama’s Goals

The U.S. Defense Department plans to end its ban on women serving in direct combat roles, opening hundreds of thousands of military jobs to female troops in the biggest move yet toward equal opportunity in the armed services."

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made the decision on the recommendation of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to a defense official familiar with the change, who asked not to be identified before a planned announcement today.

Panetta’s move reflects the themes of inclusiveness and equality that President Barack Obama laid out in his inaugural address this week as guiding principles for his second term.

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