The Days Of Rambo Are Over, Says U.S General; Women To Join Seals In 2016

American women will finally be able to join the Navy SEALS, Army Rangers and other specialised combat outfits under a new plan approved by the Pentagon to open up thousands of frontline jobs that were until recently confined only to men.

The Pentagon yesterday announed that it would allow women to join the elite specialised combat outfits from 2016.

"This is just the next logical step," said Juliet Beyler, director of the Defence Department's Officer and Enlisted Personnel Management. "The department's goal is to ensure that the mission is met with the best, most fully qualified, and most capable people, regardless of gender," she said.

This year, Beyler said, the services and Socom have worked diligently to plan two lines of effort aimed at integrating women: currently open occupations that were restricted: for example, administrative clerk in a tank battalion or truck driver in an artillery battery; and currently closed occupations that require review and validation of occupational standards: for example, infantry, armour and combat engineer.

House Armed Services Committee ranking member Adam Smith, said, "For years, women have proven that if given the chance they are just as capable as men.”

U.S. Senator John McCain supported the move to expand the eligibility of women to serve in the most elite echelons of the nation's armed forces, including in combat roles. "I look forward to reviewing the details of the Pentagon's announced initiative in this area," he said.