WASHINGTON (AP) American women could be going into combat.
Senior defense officials say Pentagon chief Leon Panetta is removing the military's ban on women serving in combat.
The move will open up hundreds of thousands of front-line positions and potentially elite commando jobs. The groundbreaking move recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff overturns a 1994 rule banning women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units.
Panetta's decision gives the military services until January 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women.
