SUMMARY: U.S. Department of Defense summarises the policy advances in relation to women in combat according to Air Force Maj. Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, who spoke at a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace event last week. Ovost mentioned the forces have made several advances since combat exclusion was rescinded in 2013, including:

• The Navy Coastal Riverine Force opened up 267 jobs to women with combat, weapons, communications and land navigation skills
• The Army opened more combat engineer positions to women with skills in explosive devise detection and field fortification
• The Marine Corps allowed women to participate in basic infantry training, but women still cannot be assigned to the infantry

SOURCE: Terri Moon Cronk, April 27 2015, ‘Official Provides Update on Combat Jobs for Women,’ DoD News, http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=128680