Jacksonville’s Director of Military Affairs believes that the new military policy of women serving in combat is long overdue but will be implemented successfully.

“I know that it will be successful because it’s the right thing to do,” retired Navy rear Admiral Victor Guillory tells WOKV.

Guillory served 34 years in the Navy and says he served with women at every level both as a subordinate and a senior.  He was reminded of how the Navy has recently allowed women to serve aboard submarines.

“The Department of Defense will approach this decision and implementing of this policy the same way they’ve done in the past,” he says.  “By a careful assessment of how to do it and how to make it successful.”

Guillory says it gives Jacksonville women the opportunity to continue their career if they want to transition from what they’re doing in the military right now to a field that originally wasn’t open to them.

And he says it will make the Jacksonville veterans community stronger.

“This makes it official that women should have access to all roles available to them,” Guillory says.

An important point to realize, he says, is that there’s been “no discussion” of relaxing the standards to get into these jobs.

“Women and all men will have to continue to meet the standards in order to be qualified to serve in these roles,” he says.

“And ultimately they’ll be good for the accomplishment of missions by the most capable volunteer force the world has ever seen.”

CLICK HERE for more information on the Department of Military Affairs, Veterans and Disabled Services.