On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta officially announced the elimination of the 1994 ban on women in combat.

“In life, as we all know, there are no guarantees of success. Not everyone is going to be able to be a combat soldier. But everyone is entitled to a chance,” Panetta said in a press brief following the announcement at Pentagon.

Previously, supporters of the discriminatory practice questioned whether or not women would be able to partake in the same physically demanding tasks men in ground combat units perform. But without the opportunity to openly participate in these combat roles, most women have not been able to prove their performance in the same roles as men.

Elimination of this policy officially allows women to pursue ground combat roles in the military. Sometimes, however, participation in combat roles has been inevitable for women.

Maj. Mary Jennings Hegar, an Air National Guard search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, was shot down in 2009. She had no choice but to engage in combat.

Despite receiving a Purple Heart and aDistinguished Flying Cross with valor for her experience in a dangerous combat situation, she was unable to pursue combat leadership positions because her experience was not officially recognized.

Last November, Hegar and two other female veterans filed a lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union in protest of the sexist policy.

“The ability to serve in combat has very little to do with gender or any other generalization. It has everything to do with heart, character, ability, determination and dedication. This policy is an injustice to the women who have come before us and who continue to put their lives on the line for their country,” Hegar said.

Hegar, who had wanted to be a U.S. Air Force pilot since she was a little girl, could not be more right.

If women can prove they are able to meet the demands that ground combat involves, they should be allowed to pursue ground combat opportunities.

This unfair practice is only now being overturned in the United States. Countries like Canada and Israel have been allowing women to act in combat roles for years. Although only a small percentage of women end up choosing to take on combat roles in these countries, it is important that their right to prove they are qualified for a position in ground combat is recognized.

Restricting women from these roles only perpetuates stereotypes about women that have no place in today’s society.

Officially being allowed to serve in combat roles enables women to be recognized for their bravery by being awarded medals of honor or advancing to positions they would have otherwise been unable to.

Not everyone will be able to be a part of ground combat units, but they should be given a chance regardless of their sex.

Rahimon Nasa is a sophomore magazine journalism and international relations major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @rararahima.

Published on January 28, 2013 at 1:30 am