“Margaret Cochran Corbin (1751-1800)
MARGARET COCHRAN CORBIN
After taking over her husband’s cannon in battle on Manhattan Island, now called Ft. Washington, New York, Margaret Corbin was badly wounded. She was the first woman to receive a military pension.
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During the Battle at Fort Washington on November 16, 1776, Corbin went with her husband onto the battlefield. Her husband was a matross, which meant he loaded the cannon. Corbin helped him with this task. After her husband’s partner was killed, he took over firing the cannon, and Corbin began loading the cannon. Her husband was also killed, but Corbin continued firing the cannon alone. Other soldiers took notice of her excellent aim. Unfortunately, so did the British who were soon targeting her with their own cannons. The British eventually won this battle but Corbin’s cannon was the last one to stop firing.”
http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/margaret-cochran-corbin/
So, because one woman heroically manned a cannon, we are to put women in combat units?
I’ll grant that there are places where women can make a positive contribution to a military mission, but ground combat is not one of them.