Lately, one of the more popular topics up for discussion across the nation has been whether or not women can perform the same tasks as men in the military. On August 21st, Captain Kristen Griest and 1st Lieutenant Shaye Haver (pictured above) proved doubters wrong. The two women, in their mid-twenties, successfully completed the requirements of the intensive course (buzz cut and all) at the U.S. Army Ranger School in Fort Benning, Georgia where, until now, only men have been able to enroll since it opened in 1972.

When asked about the difficulty of the course, Haver admitted that it was definitely something that tested her mental and physical strength but noted that the relentless nature of the course was felt among all of her peers, men included. Despite the extremely high drop-out rate, (1,609 of 4,057 students received the ranger tab having completed the course last year) both of the women said that leaving the program was not something that they thought outweighed the honor of serving their country. Major General Scott Miller, the guest speaker at the graduation, made it a point to mention that there were no exceptions made for any of the graduates including the two women in the class. So far about twelve countries worldwide have allowed women in the military.

The two women that have graduated from the rigorous course hope that their success will be a powerful factor in the debate on whether or not women should be allowed to be immersed in warfare. Early next year, the Pentagon will have the final say on whether or not women will be fully eligible to participate in military combat. Defense Secretary Ash Carter weighed in on the issue stating, “Truly, it’s a huge credit for anyone, man or woman, to endure the intense training and curriculum at Ranger School, and to prevail and graduate,” He also added that, “Clearly, these two soldiers are trail blazers. And after all, that’s what it means to be a Ranger. Rangers lead the way”. Much of the objection against women participating in combat stems from beliefs that they will cause distractions and could form relationships with other soldiers that would prohibit effectiveness in combat. Another issue that many have with female participation in the military is the perception that women and children should be kept out of war; however, those that believe women should be able to serve the same as men claim that if a woman is up to par with the physical and mental standard of the U.S. military and has the desire to defend her country, she should have the freedom to do so.