Our nation's history country is full of sweeping, important changes that show how a society evolves. A huge one came last week: Women now are eligible for all combat jobs in every branch of the armed forces, more than a century after they began serving in the U.S. military as nurses. Starting in January, women gain access to all front-line combat roles in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command, Defense Secretary Ash Carter decided. That opens 220,000 jobs, including infantry and paratroop positions, that had been closed to servicewomen.

Assignments “must be based on ability, not gender,” Carter said at the Pentagon, adding that the armed forces “cannot afford to cut ourselves off” from half of the population. "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. They'll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars, lead infantry soldiers into combat. They’ll be able to serve as Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps infantry, Air Force parajumpers and everything else that was previously open only to men."< /p>

There are skeptics. The Marine Corps commandant wanted to exclude women from certain ground combat jobs. Some Congress members call the step politically motivated and say women in combat roles will weaken military capability. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has a personal reason to disagree with colleagues opposing the move. "Of course women can serve in combat," says the Army National Guard veteran who lost her legs when her helicopter was shot down over Iraq in 2004. She's one of four women now in Congress who've been in the military.

Backer says: "Combat effectiveness of our forces will increase as integrated units are able to take advantage of the very best talent available for military service, without restriction." – Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., member of Senate Armed Services Committee

Critic says: "This is being done for political reasons. What is it going to do to our ability to be lethal at the small-unit level? It degrades that ability." – Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.

Editorial says: "One of the nation's last glass ceilings was shattered by the Pentagon's announcement. . . . That's the way it should be." – Newsday of Long Island, N.Y.