Should women be able to join the front lines? The United States Constitution states that every man is equal regardless of race or sex. The 1994 ban, which prevented women from joining the front, was lifted on January 24, 2013 (Harris 1). The recommendation came from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and won unanimously (Roule 1). Even though 14% of the 1.4 million military personnel are women, they still demand to fight on the front lines (Harris 1). Women should fight in combat situations because they have changed people's ideas about war and everyone is given the same chance; however, many women cannot meet the requirements set by men. Women have changed people's ideas about war over the last two centuries of American history. “People are realizing that women contributed to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Professor Megan Mackenzie (Harris 2). Although women do not fight on the front lines, they help in many different ways in the military, such as being nurses and female Air Force pilots. In his career, General Martin Dempsey noted an improvement in culture, discipline, and physical prowess since women first joined the military (Harris 2). Leon E. Panetta once stated that women are willing to fight and die alongside men, proving that everyone is engaged in this work (Roulo 2). In November 2012, four female soldiers planned to sue the Department of Defense because the “brass ceiling” prevented them from proving they could fight (Harris 1). The American Civil Liberties Union and others supported them because they thought the military discriminated against women (Harris 1). Women have demonstrated a commitment to helping through their contributions to past wars and battles in American history....... middle of document... by abiding by this principle, we are committed to upholding the American values ​​that men and women fight or die for (Roulo 3). Even though the ban on women in warfare has been lifted, you can still sign petitions and support others against discrimination and inequality. Work Cited Carberry, Sean. “Women in Combat: What Troops Think in Afghanistan.” npr.org. NPR, 2014. Web. April 29, 2014. Harris, Paolo. “Women in Combat: US Army Officially Lifts Ban on Female Soldiers.” theguardian.com. 2014. Web. 23 April 2014.Roulo, Claudette. “Department of Defense Expands Women's Combat Role.” defense.gov. U.S. Dept., 2014. Web. April 27, 2014Thompson, mark. “Women in Combat: Shattering the Brass Ceiling.” nationtime.com. Time, 2014. Web. April 29, 2014. Vanden Brook, Tom and Jim Michaels. “Officers: Panetta opens combat roles to women”. armytimes.com. Army Times, 2014. Web. April 29. 2014.