Can women meet combat’s physical demands?

Pentagon vows standards won’t be lowered

Published On: Jan 24 2013 11:30:55 PM EST Updated On: Jan 25 2013 08:59:27 AM EST

This week the Pentagon reversed a long standing ban on women serving in combat units.

Now some are questioning whether women are can handle the physical demands.

Show Transcript Hide Transcript

--SUPERS--:06 - :17Leon PanettaSecretary of Defense :34 - :47Sgt. Jennifer HuntU.S. Army Reserves 1:04 - 1:12Gen. Robert ConeU.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command 1:32 - 1:48DoD 1:48 - 1:53Gen. Robert ConeU.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command 
--LEAD IN--This week the Pentagon reversed a long standing ban on women serving in combat units.Now some are questioning whether women are can handle the physical demands.Chris Lawrence has the details. 
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--WITH A STROKE OF HIS PEN, DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA ALTERED THE LOOK OF THE AMERICAN "SWORD.""Not everyone is going to be able to be combat soldier. But everyone is entitled to a chance."PANETTA OFFICIALLY OPENED WELL OVER 200,000 COMBAT JOBS TO WOMEN. NOW THE QUESTION IS, CAN THEY PHYSICALLY QUALIFY?"I think it's already been proven..."SGT. JENNIFER HUNT WAS ATTACHED TO AN INFANTRY BATTALION IN AFGHANISTAN. SHE STILL REMEMBERS THE 6-MILE RUNS IN FULL GEAR."I found that physically taxing to have that pack on my back. But I was still able to you know make the requirement of going that six miles."A NUMBER OF NATO COUNTRIES PERMIT WOMEN IN COMBAT LIKE CANADA, FRANCE, GERMANY AND AUSTRALIA. THE BRITISH DO NOT. THE SECRETARY'S ACTION TECHNICALLY OPENS ALL JOBS.BUT THE SERVICES CAN STILL APPLY FOR SPECIFIC EXEMPTIONS IF WOMEN ARE NOT ABLE TO MEET CERTAIN PHYSICAL STANDARDS. "The concern I get when I talk to soldiers is lowering standards, saying that we have people on our team that can't carry their share of the weight."IN THE MILITARY, THEY MEAN THAT LITERALLY. SOME SOLDIERS ARE LOADED DOWN WITH ARMORED PLATES, PACKS, BOOTS AND EQUIPMENT...AND THEY'RE HAULING AROUND MORE THAN 100 LBS. TANK LOADERS HAVE TO LIFT A 40 TO 50 POUND SHELL OUT OF CONFINED SPACES, SPIN IT AROUND AND PUSH IT INTO THE BREACH. A SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS, THAT STANDARD CANNOT BE LOWERED. (NATS TROOPS)OFFICIALS HAVE IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH COMBAT JOB. NEXT THEY'LL TURN THAT INFORMATION OVER TO SCIENTISTS WHO CAN BUILD PHYSICAL TESTS TO MEASURE IF A MAN OR WOMEN IS FIT FOR THE FRONT LINES. "At recruiting station, we can't say 'Here, lift 50 pound ammo shell and put it in a tank.'
-----END-----CNN.SCRIPT-----
 
--KEYWORD TAGS--
WOMEN COMBAT MILITARY PENTAGON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IRAQ AFGHANISTAN