( CNN ) -- In the coming years , lifting the ban on women in combat , announced Thursday by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta , might prove particularly challenging in the most iconic of military occupations -- the infantry , among the most physically demanding and tradition-bound branches of the Marines and the Army . Determining the best path forward to integrate women into this elite group will require hard-nosed honesty , careful management and compelling leadership . For the 65 years that women have enjoyed a permanent place in the United States military , they have been subject to restrictions . One rationale is the notion embedded in our culture that women should be shielded from great physical risks . Another is a recognition of the physical superiority of the average male over the average female . A third is the fear that unit cohesion , critical to military performance , would suffer with the introduction of women . These three concerns apply to varying degrees in the infantry . But the last 11 years of war have clearly demonstrated that warfare is no longer waged in a linear fashion , and that the concept of `` front line '' no longer applies . Opinion : A more equal military ? Bring back draft . Historically , logistics operations were conducted `` in the rear , '' where risks were comparatively low . This has changed : In 2006 in Iraq , for example , one in every five truck convoys was attacked . Although infantry clearly remains one of the most dangerous military occupations , the proliferation of homemade bombs and other low-cost , lethal weaponry and tactics have heightened the risk of almost every occupation . War is more uniformly dangerous . That said , physical differences between the sexes remains a thorny issue . Determining gender-neutral physical standards for an integrated infantry will be one of the most difficult tasks ahead . Infantry soldiers and Marines are the primary forces for operations on foot . They not only travel long distances , but also frequently carry loads in excess of 50 pounds . Both the short- and long-term health effects of such demands can be significant . Single mom fought alongside combat troops in Afghanistan . The Defense Department has consistently pursued solutions to lighten the load , from exoskeletons to unmanned vehicles that would serve as `` pack mules , '' to the elusive quest for higher power , lower weight batteries . The success of these efforts will benefit both men and women . But until that happens , research into the effects these physical demands have on women is necessary before determining the degree to which they can , and should , be part of the full range of infantry . Whether men serving in the infantry will accept women as peers is another open question . Those who oppose women in the infantry argue that they would change group dynamics , disrupt bonding and ultimately harm unit cohesion . In the past , these fears have been brought up regarding the participation of minorities and homosexuals , too . But data show these negative predictions do n't come true . Instead , successful integration has happened with strong leadership , and , critically , a process that is broadly perceived to be fair . Opinion : Women in combat a dangerous experiment . Even if the arguments underpinning the ban on women in combat have weakened , is there sufficient justification for change ? The Joint Chiefs apparently believe so , as they have unanimously recommended the ban be lifted . Each of the services already has been taking steps along these lines . This is in part driven by the evolution of the battlefield . When today 's senior leaders were serving time in Iraq and Afghanistan , they realized that the restrictions on women sometimes also restricted their missions . They implemented work-arounds and sought exceptions to policy . But they came home with firsthand experience of the mismatch between modern warfare and the policies limiting women 's role . Women are in combat , and senior military leaders believe that future success demands they must remain available to be so , in even greater numbers . From the institutional viewpoint , there are also concerns that the traditional limitations fail to make the best use of women in the service . Combat experience weighs heavily in promotion decisions , and restrictions have precluded women from gaining experiences equal to those of male counterparts . Women are also excluded from many of the occupations disproportionately represented in senior leadership , and that automatically limits the number of women who can advance to the highest levels . At the same time , the pool of Americans eligible for military service is shrinking , and competition for high-quality recruits is intensifying . So it 's imperative that the military fully leverage the talent of the men and women it has and that it seeks to attract . By the numbers : Women in the U.S. military . The arguments in favor of lifting the ban on women in combat outweigh those against it . Despite Defense Secretary Leon Panetta 's announcement on Thursday , the military services maintain the prerogative to preclude women from serving in certain positions or occupations . Infantry , or at least some specialties within that branch , could well be a case in which restrictions are warranted . But military leaders have time to evaluate this proposition , and to set the conditions to make any change stick . The path ahead may not be smooth , but it is necessary . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maren Leed .
Maren Leed : Ban on women in combat has hurt operations , women 's promotion . Leed : Integrating women into the physically demanding infantry presents challenges . Women are already in combat ; she says , the `` front line '' and `` rear line '' no longer exist . Leed : Research into women in infantry might show that some limits might be appropriate .