By Air Force News Agency on Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Air Force sets plan to integrate women in combat jobs by 2016
The Air Force released details of the service’s plan to completely integrate women into previously closed career fields June 18.
The implementation plan was recently submitted to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel for review.
More than 99 percent of Air Force positions are currently already open to female Airmen. On the contrary, 2013 marks the 20 th anniversary of the dep. of Defense allowing women to function combat pilots.
The Air Force plans to open the rest seven career fields — all tied to big operations — by Jan. 1, 2016.
“The Air Force was actively integrating women into nontraditional skills since 1972,” said Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso, the director of force management policy and deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “Today, below one percent of all positions – Active, Guard, and Reserve – are closed to ladies. This equates to approximately 4,700 positions in a complete force of 506,000 people.”
The current Air Force specialty codes that don’t allow females to go into because of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule include: combat rescue officer; special tactics officer; special operations weather officer; enlisted combat controller; enlisted tactical air command and control party; enlisted pararescue and enlisted special operations weather.
According to the Air Force’s plan, the service will validate occupational fitness standards for each career field.
Once the factors are validated for the seven skills currently closed to ladies, the Air Force will notify Congress of its intent to open these skills to girls and start recruiting into these skills.
Grosso expects recruiting will begin Oct. 2015.
This implementation plan came by means of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta rescinding the 1994 Direct Ground Combat exclusion rule for girls in January 2013. This rule restricted women from assignments in special operations and long range reconnaissance units.
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