AMARILLO, TEXAS -- There are one 1.2 million women veterans in America.
15 percent of today's active duty military forces are also women.
The recent lift of the ban on women in combat generated a lot of buzz among them and the whole country.
Local women veterans say that a good soldier is not based on gender.
"Being aware of your surroundings, following your job, doing what you've been ordered to do, and regardless of your personal feeling this is a job that you've been assigned to do,"
That's the definition of a good combat soldier according to Deb Buntzen, 1983-1990 NavyVeteran.
She said that we need to get rid of the stigma that women need to be "protected" and move forward.
Though the ban has been lifted, there are still concerns not only about safety, but also about a woman's physical ability to do their job.
"They may have a concern as far as their physical capabilities, but if you're not physically fit to do a job--then you're physically fit to not be in the military," said Buntzen.
We asked for your comments and concerns on our Facebook page and here's what you said.
"I have no doubts that women are fully capable of the task, but as a country, I don't understand why we ever would subject our women to it," said Monroe Bull.
"It's been happening for years anyway. The primary objection is and always has been, what if they are captured by the enemy? Not that they are any weaker or any less capable. Especially not today," said James Haynes.
Women have been active in the military for years, and veterans said that now, it's about knowing what your commitment may mean.
"Even the young ones now know that there's a chance they're going to Afghanistan. So they know that it's a possibility that it's going to happen," said Donna Chesser 1976-1980 Air Force Veteran. "So if they go through the training, they'll have the skills and mindset they need to be able to go through it."
Now that the battle for women in the frontlines is won, for some, it means much more.
"Equality, that's been the fight for a long time," said Buntzen.
The change is expected to open 230,000 front-line positions to women.
