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Earlier this year the military made an historic change declaring it would end a 20-year prohibition of women in combat positions. the door was opened to 237,000 combat roles that were once unavailable to women simply because of their againer. but most units have still remained a boy's club, including the most elite divisions like the army rangers and navy s.e.a.l.s with the logistics to how to integrate them still being determined. military is now considering clearing the path to special forces positions and we'll discuss it today in an afternoon briefing at the pentagon. defense sources tell ...

Women the same opportunities as men in the military, there has been no shortage of skepticism. when the initial ban was lifted in january, oklahoma senator james inhoff, the top republican on the senate armed services committee, rang a warning bell writing in statement, "if necessary, we will be able to introduce legislation to stop any changes. we believe to be detrimental to our fighting forces and capabilities." joining us now, nbc news chief pentagon correspondent jim miklaszewski. jim, thanks so much for joining us. tell us what you're hearing in and around the pentagon relating to this. ...

Right now, the pentagon is presenting its plans to bring women for the first time into combat roles, including elite special operations forces. training for thousands of positions including those with the army rangers and even the navy s.e.a.l.s will begin in 2015. it will be some time before we actually see women assigned to the front lines, but still this is an important step toward that end. another important point, the pentagon promises no special treatment and no lowering of physical standards for women. let's face it, some of the strongest people i know are women. let's spin on this. i...

Roles, looking at a time when he's willing to shake up the establishment in terms of pushing on the gales in the military front. you're looking at him seeking a real legacy of not just empowering women in sort of a vague political sense, but in terms of actual positions of power, and a transitional way from war. >> over the way, where i think the status quoç is going to be politically very difficult to sort of drive with the positions that he's taken on many other things and to what extent he steps in and what extent he relying on congress and what congress is willing willing to do. >> that'...

This is pum mull -- promulgated because women were not previously allowed to serve in combat roles, so they were a bit, you know, considered a second class citizens. and because they weren't in combat roles, they didn't have access to some of the highest ranks, you know, the highest duties of jobs that just weren't available to them. and so they aren't today in a position to make some decisions around solving military sexual assault. i think that's the grand irony of this. >> that is a great point. anu, i want to play another moment which i think lindsay graham is the only senator on record sa...