Melinda Beck et al.

About the Author: Melinda Beck is a senior editor for Newsweek magazine.

Editor’s Note: In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, 35,355 U.S. women soldiers were sent to Saudi Arabia. While no women were officially allowed to fight in combat, they performed vital combat support duties such as piloting planes and helicopters, directing artillery, operating prisoner of war camps, and repairing ships. Of the 135 U.S. troops killed in action, five were women. Two servicewomen were held as prisoners of war by the Iraqis.

Clearly, many of the servicewomen in the Gulf found themselves exposed to enemy fire and other life- threatening situations. This fact has led some defense experts to conclude that the line between combat and noncombat positions is indistinct, and it has renewed the debate concerning the role of women in combat...