Speaking at the prestigious US military academy West Point, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin supported the role of women in combat.
Secretary Austin meets with cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point on December 4.
PHOTO: US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has strongly supported women serving in the military, expressing a view that is contrary to President-elect Donald Trump's pick to replace him.
While not mentioning his likely successor, Pete Hegseth, Secretary Austin said he opposes the notion that women should not serve in the military.
Speaking at the US Military Academy at West Point, he discussed military leadership and current threats to the US, and recalled his own military service and combat experience with women, including in Iraq in 2003.
"Everywhere I go on the battlefield, I see women fighting for America and they are incredibly capable, incredibly accomplished, incredibly brave. So if I'm a little excited about this, it's only because this is not 1950. This is not 1948. This is 2024," he said.
In 2013, the Pentagon lifted the ban on women serving in frontline combat positions.
In 2017, a female US Marine became the first woman to complete the US Marine Corps' notoriously grueling infantry officer training course, beating out dozens of male candidates who failed the selection course.
“Any military that rejects talented, tough patriots, women or men, only makes that military weaker and smaller,” Austin said.
Last month, Mr Hegseth said he opposed women in combat. "I just want to say straight out that we should not have women in combat roles. It doesn't make us more effective, it doesn't make us more dangerous, but it makes fighting a war more complicated," he said.
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On December 4, Mr. Hegseth expressed his determination to become defense minister, amid questions in the Senate about information related to his personal life and career.
Mr. Hegseth, a former member of the Army National Guard and a reserve, served in Iraq and then Afghanistan. He ran for the Senate in Minnesota in 2012, but later withdrew.
He has been a host of Fox News' "Fox & Friends Weekend" since 2014. At Fox News, he provides analysis and commentary during prime time. Prior to joining the network, he served as CEO of Veterans Concerned for America.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bo-truong-quoc-phong-my-ung-ho-phu-nu-tham-gia-chien-dau-185241205092436795.htm
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