It was one of the bloodiest battles during World War II–and while the Japanese forces were ultimately defeated, the island provided little strategic value as a staging base.

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Gwen Ifill talks with James Kitfield of National Journal about the historic change and implications that the ban on women in combat has brought about. This first person account discusses Kitfield’s insight on how this ban will change the nation in a number of different ways and believes women will have to prove themselves. Leon Edward Panetta is an American politician, lawyer, and professor. He serves as Secretary of Defense from 2011 to 2013. He recently lifted the military ban on women in combat, allowing them to officially serve on the front lines for the first time in the history of U.S. armed forces.