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Women in Combat: Some Lessons from Israel's Military
(NPR) Larry Abramson - In Israel, most men and women perform compulsory military service, which serves as a rite of passage. That's what struck Leora Prince when the New Jersey native visited Israel after high school. She saw lots of young people joined in a common purpose. "They were completely, selflessly guarding over the country," Prince recalls. "And I wanted to be a part of that." That explains why this 21-year-old is now serving as a sergeant in the Israel Defense Forces. The Caracal Battalion, a coed combat battalion, was formed in 2004 to give women a chance to serve in a true combat role. The battalion is 60% female and patrols Israel's border with Egypt.