This week, Women of Washington had the opportunity to talk with Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.

James discussed the recent decision by the Secretary of Defense to open all combat positions in all of the armed forces to women.

“At present, we only have six jobs in the Air Force that are still closed to women, James told Women of Washington hosts Aileen Black and Gigi Schumm. “I am confident that given the right preparation, and given a set of gender neutral and operationally relevant standards, I could see no reason why we should keep these jobs closed [to women].

“I am certain that some women will be able to do these jobs, just as some men are able to do these jobs, but it’s not for everybody. These jobs are very demanding, and it’s very important that we not lower standards, and we won’t.”

James said that Congress has been more divided during her time as Secretary of the Air force than at any other point in her career, but she also looks to the recent budget agreement as a sign that cooperation is possible.

“Recent days seem much more encouraging, and we are really grateful to get this two-year budget agreement,” James said of the agreement passed by Congress in November and signed by the President to prevent the government from shutting down. “We are very grateful to have a shutdown averted, and to have some stability for our planning purposes in national Defense is also critical.”

James explained why increasing diversity in the Air Force is not only the ethical choice, but also the best practical choice for defense readiness.

“The future readiness of our Air Force depends on our ability to recruit and ultimately retain the very best talent that America has to offer,” she said. “n order to do that, you want the widest pool that you can possibly choose from, and that pool includes a diverse group of young Americans.”

James also talked about mentors she’s had throughout her career and mentoring programs that the Air Force offers for young airmen.

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