Senior pentagon officials say Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will lift the military's ban on women serving in combat. The move could open up thousands of elite commando jobs for women.

It overturns a 1994 ruling that prohibited women from being assigned to ground combat units.


Because I have been in service with women, they do a heck of a good job, said Chuck Lindstrom

I've seen women do things that men couldn't do the whole time I was in the Army, said Michael Hensley.

I've seen a lot of women that are very capable doing just about anything, some more than guys so, said Bob Dodge.

But opinions on women in combat, like the beverages, differ from man to man.

I don't feel good about women being exposed to it in an infantry sense, said Fred Newcomer

But I believe in a combat situation when the bullets are flying that a man would probably take more of chance with his own life to protect the life of a woman, said Lindstrom.

I don't see why there's any physical or emotional reason they couldn't get into it...that's my general reaction, said Greg Shepard

I've worked side by side and seen women get injured, if you're a soldier, you're a soldier so I'm all for it...good to go, said Hensley.

The Joint Chiefs all recommended lifting the ban but urged Panetta to do it slowly over the next three years.

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