Defense Secretary Ash Carter is ordering the U.S. military to open all combat jobs to women.
In making that decision he ignored requests by the Marine Corps to exclude women from certain front-line combat jobs.
"There will be no exceptions," Carter announced.
"This means that, as long as they qualify and meet the standards, women will now be able to contribute to our mission in ways they could not before. And even more importantly, our military will be better able to harness the skills and perspectives that talented women have to offer," Carter said.
The change means women will now be allowed to serve in the military's most grueling and difficult jobs.
That includes Special Operations Forces such as the Army Delta units and Navy SEALs.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Gen. Joseph Dunford, had been the Marine Corps commandant, and he argued that the Marines should be allowed to keep women out of certain front-line combat jobs.
He cited studies showing that mixed-gender units aren't as capable as all-male units.
Months of testing, the Marine review said, found that women often couldn't carry as much weight or shoot as well as the men.
The review concluded that allowing women to compete for ground combat jobs would make the Marine Corps a less-efficient fighting machine.
Carter on Thursday said he came to a different conclusion, but he said the integration of women into the combat jobs will be deliberate and methodical and will address the Marines' concerns.
All branches of the military have until January first to submit plans to make the change.
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