Local woman sues DOD to fight in combat

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Four service women are suing the Department of Defense, fighting for women's rights to serve in combat.

They want women to have the same opportunities to serve in more than 230,000 positions across the Armed Forces -- that are illegal for them to fill.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco.

Jennifer Brofer was a combat correspondent serving alongside -- what some might say -- are the toughest humans in the world.

"The men respected me and respected my rank, I did my job well and I worked well with the male marines," said Brofer.

But no matter how hard Brofer or her fellow female comrades work, qualify or prove themselves, they're not seen as equals when it comes to combat, even though they can face some of the same risks.

"They are fighting the enemy, engaging the enemy just like their male counter parts," Brofer said.

Some argue that the nation isn't ready for the image of women dodging bullets and dying on the battlefield.

"America doesn't want to send its mothers and daughters and sisters off to war but the truth is women are already out there in combat zones putting their life on the line and some women are losing their lives," Brofer said.

According to the Pentagon, 144 female troops have been killed and more then 860 have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That's why Major Mary Hegar, Round Rock, said this legal fight is so important: it is about saving lives.

"The policy is what makes that dangerous," Major Hegar said. "If the blanket policy wasn't there then the roles that women are serving in combat right now could be legalized and those women could be training with their male counter parts."

Hegar expects this will be a long battle in the courtroom and believes it will go to trial.

Roughly 20,000 women are currently serving in Afghanistan.