Public attention has recently been captured by an announcement that has the potential to finally dispel long-held assumptions about war-fighting: from 2016, the United States will allow women to take on ground-combat roles, lifting the previous ban on female integration into frontline units. Many other Western countries already allow women in combat, with the UK now the sole exception among the major NATO allies. What, then, is the evidence from those countries that have already integrated women into all military roles? Anthony King explores the history, and the reality, of female accession over the past decade, and shows that in today's professional armed forces, cohesion and effectiveness are increasingly dependent on competence rather than masculine identity and 'brotherly bonding' among soldiers. The Editor invites the submission of unpublished manuscripts on all topics related to international and national defence and security issues, and military history. All contributions to the RUSI Journal are subject to peer review by the editorial board. The Editor welcomes correspondence from readers on articles or reviews, and other matters arising from discussions in the RUSI Journal. Please mark all letters for the attention of the Editor, and send to Dr Emma De Angelis, RUSI, Whitehall, London SW1A 2ET, United Kingdom. Publication in the Journal is at the discretion of the Editor. Anonymous letters will not be considered.
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