Female recruits take advantage of newly-open combat positions

Global Business

It’s been more than two months since the U.S. Defense Secretary lifted all gender-based restrictions on military service. All jobs in America’s armed forces, including combat-related positions, are now open to women as long as they qualify.

CCTV’s Hendrik Sybrandy reports.
Follow Hendrik Sybrandy on Twitter @hsybrandy

An additional 220,000 combat-related jobs, mostly in the U.S. Army and Marines, in a dozen military occupational specialties or MOS’s, are now available to women.

The face of the U.S. military is changing. Five years ago, gays and lesbians were allowed to serve openly for the first time. Now, the opportunity has been extended to female tank drivers, infantry soldiers, and Navy SEALS.

It’ll be a while before the U.S. military makes the changes needed to fully incorporate women into combat roles.

But at a time when an improving U.S. economy pulls qualified applicants away from the armed forces, recruiters have a new incentive as they try to convince women in particular to join.