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4 female military members sue to serve in combat

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    Legal panel weighs in on the case

  • Duration 4:46
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-- back in session on the docket today the fight to allow military women to serve an all combat roles.

Four female service members have now filed a lawsuit challenging the Pentagon's man and ban.

And women serving in combat.

The Pentagon says it cannot comment on the current case.

And -- it says it is working on a solution.

Some of the women filing the lawsuit say that doesn't change the discrimination they feel they've suffered so far.

My gender has never been a factor in accomplishing my unit's mission and it should not be a factor in selecting personnel to serve in combat roles.

I would be assigned to positions based on my gender -- and then on the qualifications -- my accomplishments.

Doesn't make sense for me personally or professionally and it frankly doesn't make sense for the military.

So do they have a case joining -- now -- -- Bork former prosecutor now defense attorney and David -- who is a defense attorney.

So -- then women feel that this is an outdated policy that's discriminatory they can serve in some sort of combat related rules to the women who have personal.

But purple hearts we're flying helicopters for combat units that you know were in the thick of it but.

-- that they that there are hundreds of thousands of jobs that are potentially available to men that are not available to women in the military they say it's a discrimination issue.

I think they're right you know and kudos to them for being so brave because honestly you know being on the battlefield there's no there's no.

Bigger job for anybody in the military but.

Why not treat this like any other titles -- in -- look.

They're -- and you can't say that because you're a woman you can't do something that a man can do unless there's a bona fide occupational qualification that prevents them from doing so that's the case who better than a judge to decide and make that determination -- in the past when women and -- similar challenges.

Courts have deferred.

Two congresses.

Authority to regulate armies.

And said look of the congress doesn't think it's right then we don't -- -- -- Yeah -- you know I'm going to be huge trouble with my daughter Sophie by the way who has -- to become the first navy.

Female navy seal so I'm taking this position in my own risk.

But I have to tell you that's true Megan and others waffled frustration and unlawful discrimination in this case it's a matter -- biology I mean speed strength.

Mobility at this critical issues when it comes to Frontline combat if you don't have all those that it optimum rate -- you put yourself at risk you put your fellows.

-- limited universal -- either not like -- -- -- at a man or woman who needs right following you know around that fifty in this run on her and that lift this many pounds here and -- it's no when it.

Well the problem is -- I guess testing individually.

Is is it's not about appropriate because you never know kind of circumstances you're going to be -- so.

They test in general strength speed mobility and -- is also the matter this has been brought up or not.

But pregnancy.

Would a woman be that excluded because she's pregnant does she then put another life at risk which he doesn't know.

She suddenly even if you're treated treat critical -- women has a special class and not exclude all women most of whom are not pregnant John.

Yes exactly you wouldn't it make it a completely different class for the pregnant women who certainly you know who would argue that they -- be on the on the battlefield but that's going to be such a small percent because women in general.

Are such a small percent of the military believe -- something in the area up 14% so pregnant women would be a microcosm of of that but the other legitimate beef that these women have it's not just that they want the right to be face to face with the enemy.

They want the job advancement that being a combat soldier -- -- and their precluded from doing that if they're not allowed to be.

In combat and that makes a lot of sense how how can the Pentagon.

You know how have discrimination.

Which is I'm -- the train women differently than men and and you know.

-- had a similar issue military and still -- to some extent.

How can name right that's sort of you know just disparate policy right into the -- David.

I -- you know even -- I think you're.

And I think you're right as far as the -- -- armed services being the source of this decision and make it is black and white when you come down do.

General issues of biology strength and speed everything total around large heavy equipment and a large and he doesn't have that on -- on general.

Does anyone I don't when he killed at my daughter's gonna kill me but -- get -- the front of all right now in May -- Maybe it's so maybe it's a -- -- to change but -- but -- absolutely right the underlying issues advancement and there have to be another way for women to advance.

Other than combat.

Based duty there we -- I didn't realize -- is pursuing the case on behalf of the women it's going on now historically hasn't gone so well for the women challenging.

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