It overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to small ground-combat units.
But the military would have until 2016 to argue for any specific posts they think should remained closed to women.
The decision is expected to be formally announced on Thursday.
'21st-Century reality'
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
Thirty years of studies, reports and actual experience... have shown that in the infantry women do not have an equal opportunity to survive or to help fellow soldiers to survive”
Elaine Donnelly
US Centre for Military Readiness
The senior defence official told the BBC: "This policy change will initiate a process whereby the services will develop plans to implement this decision, which was made by the secretary of defence upon the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
Military chiefs will be asked to report back to Mr Panetta by 15 May on their initial plans to implement the new policy.
Some jobs are expected to be opened to women this year, while others - including for special forces such as the Navy Seals and the Delta Force - could take longer.
This decision could open more than 230,000 combat roles to women, many in infantry units.
Senate armed services committee chairman Carl Levin welcomed the decision.
"I support it," he said. "It reflects the reality of 21st-Century military operations."
That was echoed by Major Mary Jennings Hegar, who served on three tours of Afghanistan with the US Air Force.
"It's not about whether or not we're allowing women into combat - women are in combat - it's about recognising their service," she told the BBC's Newsday programme.
Continue reading the main story
Women in combat
Women have played a role in war throughout history, often in support or medical roles, but have typically been excluded from combat roles
From the 1970s, most Western armies began to admit women to serve active duty
A few nations allow women to fill active combat roles, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Israel, Germany, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Sweden - and Japan and Switzerland, which theoretically allow women in combat positions but have not engaged in combat in recent history
But even these countries usually keep some roles off-limits for women
"I understand that stereotypically there are some physical differences but... there are a lot of men doing these jobs who are not built like Goliath. It's unfortunate that we have to hold women to a higher standard.
"If you're able to meet the standards, then your gender should not hold you back. It's simple black and white discrimination."
'Enormous complications'
But Elaine Donnelly from the US Centre for Military Readiness told Newsday that the move was "most unfortunate".
"It's certainly not going to be helpful to our women in the military, or our men. It will cause enormous complications in the infantry battalions - the small tip-of-the-spear units, the ones that fight the enemy with deliberate offensive action under fire. These units are all-male for very good reasons.
"The UK looked at this same issue some years ago and decided this was not a good idea, in 2002 and 2008.
"Thirty years of studies, reports and actual experience... have shown that in direct ground combat units - the infantry - women do not have an equal opportunity to survive or to help fellow soldiers to survive. The physical aspects of it are only part of the reason."
Restrictions were first eased a year ago, when the Pentagon opened up 14,500 roles, closer to the front line, which had previously been off limits to female personnel.
In November, a group of four women in the military sued the defence department over the ban, arguing that it was unconstitutional.
One of the plaintiffs, Marine Corps Capt Zoe Bedell, said existing rules had blocked her advancement in the Marines.
During the Iraq and Afghan wars, US female military personnel have worked as medics, military police and intelligence officers, sometimes attached but not formally assigned to front-line units.
As of 2012, more than 800 women were wounded in those wars, and at least 130 have died.
Women comprise 14% of America's 1.4 million active military personnel.
|
