Until recently, women in America’s armed forces were not allowed to serve on the front lines in combat (see "Women on the Front Lines"). But the U.S. Department of Defense changed this policy in January 2016. The Pentagon (as the agency is often called, after its five-sided headquarters in Arlington, Virginia) ordered that all combat roles be open to women.
That’s old news, say women who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, conflicts that have lasted for more than a decade. There, the absence of traditional battle lines means that combat can occur anywhere—so women have long been fighting alongside men. This cartoon, featuring a male and a female soldier, comments on the situation. Study it, then answer the questions.
1. What is the setting of this cartoon? How can you tell?
2. What is ironic about the man’s comment about the Pentagon?
3. What’s the meaning of what the female soldier says?
4. What might be the female soldier’s idea of “progress”?