U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta lifted the military ban on women in combat Wednesday, a move that opens up thousands of frontline positions and potential elite commando jobs. The decision gives the U.S. military until 2016 to seek “special exceptions” for jobs they believe should remain closed to women. The highly controversial 1994 ban was brought under scrutiny this past November when four female service members challenged the Pentagon's ban on women in combat.
