FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- Our nation is as great as it is because of the many contributions from all of our citizens -- especially our women. Every March, we celebrate Women's History Month, an observance that was established in 1987 by Congress to honor the achievements of that group of Americans. Women's contributions to our nation extend from our homes to our communities, from corporate America to the government, and from the civilian sector to our military. They have served in each and every capacity with great pride and distinction in our nation's history.

Almost 165 years ago, the first Women's Rights Convention was formed in Seneca Falls, N.Y., where attendees addressed the ongoing concerns of women's role in society. Fast forward -- a monumental milestone -- the 19th amendment was adopted in 1919 to extend the right of suffrage to women. Since then, our society has continued to observe advancements and achievements as our women have excelled in numerous career fields, including aviation, education, technology, math, science and military service.

That said, our military continues to recognize the abilities and potential of our women service members. More than a decade of war has shown us that women are more than capable of serving in direct combat military occupational specialties so we are working to update our policies to afford them those opportunities. Just like their male counterparts, women have faced gunfire and improvised explosive devices while serving on the roads of Iraq and in the mountains of Afghanistan.

More than 150 of them, having fought bravely, made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Our women service members are included among the long list of names of our decorated war heroes, touting Silver Stars, Bronze Star Medals with Valor, and so on.

Fort Jackson continues to be a front runner with regards to gender-integrated training. Women have been training alongside men in Basic Combat Training since 1978. Currently, Fort Jackson trains 60 percent of women who enter the Army each year. While some physical fitness standards may differ, there is no difference between training and graduation requirements for males and females.

At the end of Basic Combat Training, our objective is to produce a Soldier, male or female, who can perform in a high-stress, physically demanding, and austere environment that we call combat. I can personally say that our women Soldiers have certainly demonstrated that they can.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a leading figure of the early women's rights movement stated, "Truth is the only safe ground to stand on."

The simple truth is that women have and will continue to make significant contributions to our nation and this world in which we live. Notable women from the past as well as the present demonstrate that when people are afforded the chance to achieve, the sky is the limit, and we all benefit from their successes.

Fort Jackson will host a Women's History Month luncheon on March 29, 11:30 a.m. at the Solomon Center. This will provide us with a great chance to pause and reflect on the achievements of women in our society so I hope to see you all there.

Remember, it is our collective responsibility to change our society's perspective where it limits our women's opportunities to contribute. As we reflect on the milestones that women have achieved in their quest for equality, let's remember that creating an environment that fosters equality must be a daily focus if we want America to continue to be the greatest nation on earth.

Victory Starts Here!

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