Enrolled March 16, 2017 Passed IN Senate March 16, 2017 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 25Introduced by Senators Galgiani, Bates, Leyva, and NguyenMarch 07, 2017 Relative to Womens Military History WeekLEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSR 25, Galgiani. Digest KeyBill TextWHEREAS, January 24, 2017, marks the fourth anniversary of the lifting of the ban on women in combat; andWHEREAS, This groundbreaking decision overturns a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricted women from artillery, armor, and infantry, among other combat roles, even though, in reality, women have frequently found themselves in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Pentagon, hundreds of thousands of women have been deployed in those conflicts; andWHEREAS, Former United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta initiated the lifting of the ban on women in combat in 2013. On December 3, 2015, former United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter directed the full integration of women into all military branches; andWHEREAS, Over the past two decades of conflict, women have served with valor in combat zones, often under fire, but had been prevented from officially holding combat positions under the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule, which generally barred women from assignment to units below brigade level when the units primary mission was direct ground combat; andWHEREAS, Approximately 300,000 women in uniform have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Female service members have earned more than 10,000 combat action badges and Bronze Stars, respectively, and at least 12 Bronze Stars with Valor. Women have served in intelligence gathering, as combat pilots, field artillery officers, chaplains, special operations civil affairs officers, and even members of the ultra-secretive Delta Force; andWHEREAS, Women have served bravely in every major United States conflict since the American Revolutionary War. Our current servicewomen are able to serve due to the incredible work of women of past generations; andWHEREAS, As stated by then-Secretary of Defense Panetta, Women have shown great courage and sacrifice on and off the battlefield, contributed in unprecedented ways to the militarys mission, and proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of roles. Panetta added, [R]escinding the [1994 ban on women in combat] is to ensure that the mission is met with the best qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender; andWHEREAS, Since the lifting of the ban, three women have already made history by being the first to graduate from the United States Army Ranger School, the Armys premier combat leadership course, proving to themselves and to the world that women can meet mens standard for combat; andWHEREAS, As a country based on freedom and opportunity, regardless of creed, race, gender, or sexual orientation, we must demonstrate the same opportunity in our armed forces, while maintaining the same standard of excellence our military has set; andWHEREAS, Our military exists to fight our nations wars and to defend our Constitution and our freedom. Opening up combat roles to women will add to military excellence, not subtract from it; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate hereby recognizes Women Warriors by proclaiming the week of March 13, 2017, to March 19, 2017, inclusive, as Womens Military History Week in California; and be it furtherResolved, That the Senate encourages Californians to recognize the contributions of women to our military and our freedom, the courageous sacrifices that women have made while serving our country with heroism, and the historic lifting of the ban on women in combat on January 24, 2013; and be it furtherResolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
Enrolled March 16, 2017 Passed IN Senate March 16, 2017 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 25Introduced by Senators Galgiani, Bates, Leyva, and NguyenMarch 07, 2017 Relative to Womens Military History WeekLEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSR 25, Galgiani. Digest Key
Enrolled March 16, 2017 Passed IN Senate March 16, 2017
Enrolled March 16, 2017
Passed IN Senate March 16, 2017
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Resolution No. 25
Introduced by Senators Galgiani, Bates, Leyva, and NguyenMarch 07, 2017
Introduced by Senators Galgiani, Bates, Leyva, and Nguyen
March 07, 2017
Relative to Womens Military History Week
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SR 25, Galgiani.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, January 24, 2017, marks the fourth anniversary of the lifting of the ban on women in combat; and
WHEREAS, This groundbreaking decision overturns a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricted women from artillery, armor, and infantry, among other combat roles, even though, in reality, women have frequently found themselves in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the Pentagon, hundreds of thousands of women have been deployed in those conflicts; and
WHEREAS, Former United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta initiated the lifting of the ban on women in combat in 2013. On December 3, 2015, former United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter directed the full integration of women into all military branches; and
WHEREAS, Over the past two decades of conflict, women have served with valor in combat zones, often under fire, but had been prevented from officially holding combat positions under the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule, which generally barred women from assignment to units below brigade level when the units primary mission was direct ground combat; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 300,000 women in uniform have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Female service members have earned more than 10,000 combat action badges and Bronze Stars, respectively, and at least 12 Bronze Stars with Valor. Women have served in intelligence gathering, as combat pilots, field artillery officers, chaplains, special operations civil affairs officers, and even members of the ultra-secretive Delta Force; and
WHEREAS, Women have served bravely in every major United States conflict since the American Revolutionary War. Our current servicewomen are able to serve due to the incredible work of women of past generations; and
WHEREAS, As stated by then-Secretary of Defense Panetta, Women have shown great courage and sacrifice on and off the battlefield, contributed in unprecedented ways to the militarys mission, and proven their ability to serve in an expanding number of roles. Panetta added, [R]escinding the [1994 ban on women in combat] is to ensure that the mission is met with the best qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender; and
WHEREAS, Since the lifting of the ban, three women have already made history by being the first to graduate from the United States Army Ranger School, the Armys premier combat leadership course, proving to themselves and to the world that women can meet mens standard for combat; and
WHEREAS, As a country based on freedom and opportunity, regardless of creed, race, gender, or sexual orientation, we must demonstrate the same opportunity in our armed forces, while maintaining the same standard of excellence our military has set; and
WHEREAS, Our military exists to fight our nations wars and to defend our Constitution and our freedom. Opening up combat roles to women will add to military excellence, not subtract from it; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate hereby recognizes Women Warriors by proclaiming the week of March 13, 2017, to March 19, 2017, inclusive, as Womens Military History Week in California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Senate encourages Californians to recognize the contributions of women to our military and our freedom, the courageous sacrifices that women have made while serving our country with heroism, and the historic lifting of the ban on women in combat on January 24, 2013; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.