Sec. 523. Sense of Senate on validated gender-neutral occupational standards for all military occupations
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It is the sense of the Senate that the Secretaries of the military departments should— eliminate all unnecessary gender-based barriers to service and integrate women into occupational fields and units currently closed to them to the maximum extent possible; by not later than September 1, 2015, validate gender-neutral occupational standards for every military occupation, with such standards for each military occupation to be based solely on the necessary and required specific tasks associated with the qualifications and duties performed while serving in or assigned to such military occupation; ensure that such gender-neutral occupational standards enable the operational capability and combat effectiveness required for the military to meet national defense objectives; ensure that such validated gender-neutral occupational standards are considered in determining whether positions and occupations currently closed to service by women are opened; ensure that the surgeon general of the Armed Force concerned has evaluated the medical requirements and has determined that resources to meet such requirements will be adequate for female members for the military occupations or units to which they will be assigned; ensure that the Chief of Service of the Armed Force concerned has evaluated the table of equipment for the unit or position for the military occupations or units to which they will be assigned and has determined that all required equipment for female members meets required standards for wear and survivability; and by not later than January 1, 2016, open all military occupations to service by women who can meet such validated gender-neutral occupational standards for the military occupations to which they will be assigned, if determined to be in the best interests of the national defense of the United States, and ensure that all members of the Armed Forces, regardless of gender, are assigned to units on the basis of their ability to meet the occupational standards required by such assignment.