The U.S. military doesn't allow women to serve in front-line combat roles, which is not only sexist, it's not realistic, say two women who are suing to get the ban removed.

The interesting part of the argument from Army reservists Jane Baldwin and Ellen Haring is their point that there's no such thing as the "linear battlefield" anymore. "Woman are currently engaged in direct combat, even when it is not part of their formally assigned role," the suit says, according to Bloomberg. Women already serve as support staff for combat units, such as tank mechanics, signal corps, and medical jobs, and they face combat conditions even though they're not officially assigned to fight, the lawsuit says. As a Time Battleland's Darlene M. Iskra pointed out earlier this month, combat experience bolsters a soldier's resume, especially in the Army, which means preventing women from participating in front-line positions hinders their military career potential, the suit claims. It's like a bulletproof glass ceiling.

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Adam Martin