U.S. Military Milestones

The U.S. military has evolved in many ways over the years.

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Times Are Changing - Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced Wednesday plans to open thousands of combat jobs to women serving in the U.S. military, a move that many are calling the final step in making the ranks all-inclusive for the first time. Keep reading for a look other historic policies that have shaped America’s armed forces. – Britt Middleton(Photo: Getty Images/STOCK)

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Women in Combat - Many women were already in support roles in combat zones of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. The Army and the Marines plans to open most jobs to women by May 15, according to reports. (Photo: Ralph Orlowski/Getty Images)

Photo By Ralph Orlowski/Getty Images

Desegregation of the Military - Under President Harry S. Truman’s 1948 executive order, the U.S. military formally lifted racial barriers that kept Black and white soldiers separated for years. Africans-Americans previously served in limited support roles in many of America’s major conflicts. The all-Black 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, were the first African-American pilots during World War II. (Photo: Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

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Desegregation of the Military - Under President Harry S. Truman’s 1948 executive order, the U.S. military formally lifted racial barriers that kept Black and white soldiers separated for years. Africans-Americans previously served in limited support roles in many of America’s major conflicts. The all-Black 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, were the first African-American pilots during World War II. (Photo: Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

Women in the Military - Traditional roles such as nurses and cooks were for many years the only options for women willing to serve. The creation of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) of the U.S. Navy during World War II put women in expanded administrative, communications and intelligence roles. (Photo: National Archives)

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Women in the Military - Traditional roles such as nurses and cooks were for many years the only options for women willing to serve. The creation of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) of the U.S. Navy during World War II put women in expanded administrative, communications and intelligence roles. (Photo: National Archives)

Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell - Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a controversial ban on openly gay men and women serving in the military in place from Dec. 21, 1993, until it was repealed by President Obama on Sept. 20, 2011. Under the DADT, many “outted” officers were discharged for "homosexual conduct." (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell - Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a controversial ban on openly gay men and women serving in the military in place from Dec. 21, 1993, until it was repealed by President Obama on Sept. 20, 2011. Under the DADT, many “outted” officers were discharged for "homosexual conduct." (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Military Service Members - Service members will also get a one percent pay raise in the new year. (Photo: Muniz Ur Zaman/AFP/Getty Images)

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Sole Survivor Policy - Enacted in 1948 after World War II, the U.S. military’s sole survivor directive exempt an officer from serving in a combat zone if their parent or sibling was killed in a military service-related incident. The policy was the centerpiece of the 1998 movie, Saving Private Ryan. (Photo: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/GettyImages)