Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta hands Army Lt. Col. Tamatha Patterson a document he signed during a news conference at the Pentagon, Jan. 24, 2013, to lift the Defense Department’s ban on women in direct ground combat roles. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Today the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in collaboration with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff made a major announcement about women’s roles within the Department of Defense.
As you can probably guess from the byline, I am a woman, one that currently serves in the DoD. As many people did, I was glued to the screen as the Secretary of Defense delivered his remarks on the subject and was moved by the following:
“It’s clear to all of us that women are contributing in unprecedented ways to the military’s mission of defending the nation. Women represent 15 percent of the force, over 200,000. They’re serving in a growing number of critical roles on and off the battlefield. The fact is that they have become an integral part of our ability to perform our mission.”
You can watch the whole announcement here, but you should also know that there are women out there right now on front lines, in hospitals, flying planes, driving ships and promoting relationships on behalf of our nation. Women that humble me and make me proud to be a part of our service.
Take a look:
By Navy Lt. Tiffani Walker, Defense Media Activity
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