As a part of Women’s History Month, Weber State University’s Center for Diversity and Unity hosted an event on March 27 to discuss the topic of women in the military and the new combat roles for women.

Sam Mosier, an integrated studies junior at WSU, was in charge of the event. Mosier said she believes the military is a place for women and men.

“I like talking about this subject; it’s something I want to be involved in,” she said. “The topic of women in the military is important to me because I want to be in a combat role.”

One of the common debates is that women shouldn’t be able to do what men do in the military. This was brought up during the discussion.

“I feel that if a woman wants to be in a combat role, she should be able to do exactly what a man does,” Mosier said. “I feel like military combat is not for everyone; it’s for women that want to do it. For those women that do want to do it, then they should be able to do it.”

Jennifer Comer, a senior at WSU studying social work and criminal justice, was on the panel because she was in the Army for five years. Comer’s view is that it’s not the military that has a problem with women being involved in combat, but that it’s society that is struggling with it.

“Females in the military have always filled roles side by side with male counterparts,” Comer said. “They just don’t have the same title, but it just sounds good to society that we are protecting our women.”

Comer said it’s already happening, and society needs to realize it.

“It’s making society familiar with it, making society comfortable with it,” she said. “It’s helping society realize that our moms, sisters and daughters could die in a war situation. Society is trying to be protective by saying that women shouldn’t be in that role because ‘you’re a mom’ or ‘a daughter’, and we don’t want you to be in a situation where you could die. Well, I’m in a situation I could die every day, and so is everybody else.”

Jeff Van Slyke, a sophomore at WSU studying mechanical engineering, served in the Marines for five years. He said women can play a vital part in the military.

“In the past, I’ve dealt with a lot more females in the military,” Van Slyke said. “They can do their job just as well as anyone else, and maybe even better.”