Shapira, Carla2017-10-312017-10-312017Shapira, Carla. “Let Women Fight.” Royal Road, 2017. https://doi.org/10.48497/4GKZ-8017.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11868/223Recommended Citation: Shapira, Carla. “Let Women Fight.” Royal Road, 2017. https://doi.org/10.48497/4GKZ-8017.On December 3, 2015, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced, without exception, that all fields in military combat will be available to eligible females (Pellerin). This integration will begin as of January 2, 2016, enabling women soldiers, current and entering, the opportunity to be employed in 220,000 positions or approximately 10% of jobs previously reserved only for males (Tilghman). With women making up more than 50% of the population, Secretary Carter emphasizes the significance of integrating women into every field in the military. He states, “[t]o succeed in our mission in National Defense, we cannot afford to cut ourselves off from half the country’s talents and skills” (Schwartz and Lubold). Without lowering the standards set in military history and tradition, women will be eligible to participate, providing them with an opportunity previously only granted to men. These opportunities will allow women to progress in their careers, enabling them to obtain the highest levels of leadership provided by combat arms (Tilghman).en-USUnited States Armed ForcesUnited States Military AcademyGender equalityWomen in the militaryWomen soldiersArticlehttps://doi.org/10.48497/4gkz-8017