Women Lose Women in Combat Vote

Elaine Donnelly

Center for Military Readiness

Today, the House of Representatives dropped a provision in the Defense spending bill that would have codified the military regulations which prohibit assigning women to units with a direct land combat mission, or support companies that collocate with combat units. This was an important amendment that addressed the Army’s recent “boiled frog” strategy of moving women into Forward Support Companies, that you’ve been reading about here.

Elaine Donnelly, President of the Center for Military Readiness, who has been working on this issue, was upbeat about today’s development on the Hill. She says that having the Congress begin a debate on women in combat represents real progress:

This was the first time in 10 years that women in combat has been on the legislative radar screen.

Nevertheless, Francis the frog is still a-boilin’. And more sisters, daughters — and mothers — are in harm’s way.

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