Should Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta have moved to allow women in the military into combat roles? He removed the ban on women in combat roles this week, and 74 percent of all Americans gree it’s the right move, according to a new Gallup survey just released:
The findings, from a quick-reaction poll conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking on Jan. 24, also show that men and women are equally likely to favor allowing women to serve in combat roles.
There are modest partisan differences. Democrats, including independents who lean Democratic, are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to support allowing women to serve in combat — 83% vs. 70% — although clear majorities from both parties favor it.
Those who are younger are more likely to favor the policy than are those who are older. Among those aged 18 to 49, 84% favor the policy, compared with 63% of those aged 50 and older — a difference of 21 percentage points.
Gallup has asked Americans about permitting women to serve in combat over the years using different question wordings. Gallup has found at least a majority of Americans in favor of it since 1992, including 74% in 2007.
Related:
Secretary Of Defense Removes Ban On Women In Combat
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