Thank you , Captain MJ for the historical perspective. As the parent of a young woman with an LOA to one of the service academies, I can truthfully say it has been a long week, and some difficult decisions will be made between now and May 1. I admire your service, and those of all women who were in the early classes of women at the academies. I speak only for myself, when I say, it is hard not to be a bit disheartened by the clearly stated Republican platform. Women have made such great gains so recently, including the option to join combat arms and compete for special operations teams. While I know if my daughter decides to attend and serve, she will have a difficult path, it saddens me that the hills on the path are likely to be steeper. I posted an article from foreign policy earlier in this thread that articulates one possible future. I certainly admire those who are willing to take on this challenge. She may be one of them. I also know that the joy and pride she has taken in this process is now tempered with sadness and caution. I appreciate your input, and Kinnem's. We will continue to do our best to support our daughter in her struggle to make the best possible decision in her desire to serve. We thought that her service would be military, but we recognize that there are many ways to serve. We will try to gather all the information we can as we make our decision. Sadly, the comments on this thread that demean those who question do not help. (Or they do help to make the decision). Regardless of the decision made in this house, i will not be surprised to see female enrollment down this year across the academies. I am sure some will be pleased with this outcome. I , however, see it as a step backward. Although progress does not proceed in a straight line, the swirls and tides of history can be hard to appreciate when you are in the middle of the storm.