By Victoria NeelyColumnist

Last week our country took a step in the right direction when U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lifted the 1994 Pentagon ban that prevented women from serving in combat. This controversial issue has taken the stage for debate for many years, but women in America are now finally getting recognition for their contributions to the male-dominated military. According to the Department of Defense, a mere 14.6% of active duty military personnel are women. While being on the front lines of battle requires extraordinary physical and mental strength, any woman who meets the required standards to engage in combat should not be barred from doing so.

It is important to recognize that women have been serving in the U.S. military forces for a very long time and many have given their lives for this country, even if they were not on a battlefield. 152 women have died while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan where the contributions of women are undeniable, and lifting this ban makes it possible for women to be formally recognized for their service. In history, women have always been banned from the front lines of battle. While there are many arguments against the integration of women into combat positions, preventing any qualified woman from serving this country in that manner is a violation of her Constitutional rights.

Over the next two years, U.S. military services must examine 230,000 job positions that women are currently excluded from having. While this change will not happen overnight, simply lifting the ban is a significant step for this country as a whole, along with the women in it. I think this change is long overdue, and that it is time for people to wake up and realize that in the 21st century, we have evolved enough as a country to grant everyone the same fair and equal rights as any other person.

This ban has not only contributed to the stereotype as women being the weaker sex and the military being a “man’s job”, but it has prevented women from occupying higher positions in the military that require combat experience. For a woman to be told that she cannot be promoted to a desired position simply because of her gender is sexist and absurd, especially because her gender is not allowed to occupy a position that would deem her to be qualified.

There are many countries around the world that allow their women to fill the front lines in combat such as Israel, Germany, France, and many others. For the United States to maintain its reputation as a nation that promotes equality and freedom, allowing women to fill some of the most crucial roles in the military is a must. In a country where women still only earn around eighty cents on a male’s dollar, Panetta’s move to allow women in combat is a huge, necessary step for women in this nation. The issue represents more than just allowing women to engage in direct combat; it shows the United States is a country that fights for equal rights for its citizens, and corrects the wrongs done by previous policies barring such equality. Just like electing the first African American president in 2008 was a huge step, this is something similar for women all across America, and even women all over the world.