"Let's take this step and let women keep proving what they have already proved before," she said.

Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Cazares with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, said it was impossible to know what, if any, changes it would mean for women in the military.

"It's not just put females in combat (specialties) and let's call it a day," she said.

A number of issues, including safety regulations and cohabitation, will need to be addressed, she said.

Army Staff Sgt. Stacey Zinda said that, like Cazares, she wasn't surprised by the news.

Troops have speculated about the issue for a while, but Zinda, who is a career counselor, said she has yet to have a female soldier approach her about joining a combat unit.

Gabbard was asked about a newspaper column that argued there would be times someone would be forced to be naked in front of the opposite sex, and that would be distracting, awkward, uncomfortable and potentially traumatizing. Does the writer have a point?

"I respectfully disagree. I think that in these situations we're talking about highly trained professionals, people who build our strong military because they place the mission first and they're there to fight as a member of a team. All of the other things that differentiate us, make us unique, whether it be gender or race or religion, all of these things fall aside when you're there putting the mission first and selflessly serving as that member of a team," Gabbard said.

"I can tell you from my own firsthand experience as well as the many, many people I've had the honor of serving with, whether in training or in a deployed setting, those things are not what's crossing your mind when you're operating."

Chuck Hagel, President Obama's nominee for defense secretary, didn't comment on the issue. He was asked for his reaction after he left a meeting at the Senate on Wednesday.

"We've got a hearing I'm looking forward to next week," he said, suggesting he may confront the matter then.

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