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9RO1R Serving Southern Arizona’s military community, including Davis-Monthan Air Force Base January 8, 2016
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Services submit plans on integrating women into all military jobs
U.S. Army photo by Spc. Nikayla Shodeen
A female soldier participates in combatives training during the Ranger Course on Fort Benning, Ga., April 20, 2015.
Lisa Ferdinando Gen. Joseph L. Votel, the commander of U.S. The group will work with the services to over-
Special Operations Command, requested and see the short-term implementation of the de-
DoD News was granted a short extension in providing his cision, Cook explained, to ensure there are no
plan, Cook said. unintended consequences on the joint force.
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department The group will periodically update Carter and
has received plans from each of the services for That extension was to give Socom time to col- the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine
implementing plans to integrate women into all laborate thoroughly with the services, because Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., on the prog-
positions in the military, Pentagon Press Secre- many of the actions critical to successfully inte- ress, he said.
tary Peter Cook said today. grating women into special operations specialties
and units fall under service authority, Cook said. The first meeting of the implementation group
The office of the acting undersecretary of de- will take place this week, the press secretary said.
fense for personnel and readiness received the Group Will Oversee Implementation
plans, Cook said at a news conference. Cook noted that Deputy Defense Secretary “The services and Special Operations Com-
Bob Work and the vice chairman of the Joint mand will begin to execute the implementation
Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced in Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva, are of their approved plans as soon as practicable,
December his decision to open all positions in chairing a group on implementing the decision. but no later than April 1,” he added.
the military to women, with no exceptions. Army