Women have served U.S., and died in action, for years

announcement.

In 2008, then-2nd Lt. “The issue of women in Megan Turpin received the combat per se was no lonNavy and Marine Corps ger a question,” said SecCommendation Medretary of Defense Ashton al with “V” signifying valCarter earlier this month or. She was honored for as he declared that all jobs leading her supply convoy in the United States milithrough a “56-hour odystary would at last be open sey” in southern Afghanisave the lives of soldiers women in uniform have to all Americans. “It was stan marked by rocket-proin Afghanistan after insurserved in the wars in Iraq a reality, because women pelled grenades, explosive gents blew up their vehicle. and Afghanistan. Female had seen combat throughdevices and enemy gunfire. “Disregarding her own service members have out the wars in Iraq and For her part, she thought safety, Private First Class earned more than 10,000 Afghanistan — serving, she had done nothing other Brown shielded the casualcombat action badges and fighting and in some cases than her job. ties with her own body as Bronze Stars and at least making the ultimate sacriTwo women have large chunks of shrapnel 12 Bronze Stars with a “V,” fice alongside their fellow received the nation’s secand 5.56-mm rounds began according to data gathered comrades in arms.” ond-highest honor, the Silflying through the air from by the organization Wom

For years women served ver Star, since World War the burning vehicle,” noten in International Secuy.onthefrontlinesdespiteII.In2005Sgt.LeighAnnedhercitationfortheSil-rit the Pentagon’s Combat Hester, a soldier with the ver Star. “The patrol leader Women have served in Exclusion Policy. They Kentucky National Guard, arrived on site and found intelligence-gathering, as served where needed and led the fight against insurit incredible she was still combat pilots, field artilwent where the mission gents who ambushed her alive and treating the casulery officers, special operdemanded. Even if few convoy in Iraq. And in alties amidst the extremely ations civil affairs officers Americans noticed, mil2007, Army Spec. Monidangerous conditions she and even in the ultra-seitary leaders did, leadca Lin Brown, a medic, ran was operating under.” cretive Delta Force. One ing to last week’s historic through gunfire to help An estimated 300,000 hundred and sixty wom- en have given their lives to their country. This year three women graduated from the Army Ranger School, the Army’s premier leadership course.

First Lt. Ashley White and Capt. Jenny Moreno were members of a groundbreaking all-women team recruited for special operations combat missions. Both died on night raids in southern Afghanistan alongside the elite Army Rangers — White in 2011 and Moreno two years later. In October 2013, they became the first two women to be honored at the National Infantry Museum’s Memorial Walk — even though, at that time, they weren’t technically able to join the infantry.

Most in the United States have enjoyed a great distance from America’s 14 years of war in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Iraq once more. Less than half a percent of the population has fought 100 percent of the battles, with precious few paying close attention to the wars being fought in their names.

While we weren’t looking, the military kept fighting, but its fighting force changed. Last week’s announcement from Carter that all jobs will be open to all warriors is less a groundbreaking policy shift than simple recognition of on-the-ground, wartime reality.