Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on Thursday that all U.S. combat jobs will now be open to women.

At a press conference, Carter briefly offered his condolences to the families that had suffered due the recent mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, before announcing the historic change to U.S. military policy.

Carter said that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations Command had all agreed that every combat position would now be open to qualified women.

“There will be no exceptions,” he said.

Carter stressed the U.S military was a meritocracy that drew its might by getting the best possible people available.

“Our force of the future must continue to benefit from the best people America has to offer," Carter said. "In the 21st century that requires drawing strength from the broadest possible pool of talent."

Carter said this meant being able to bring in women as they made up of over 50 percent of the U.S. population.

As The New York Times reported, Carter’s decision overturns a 1994 Pentagon ruling which kept women from artillery, armor, infantry and similar combat roles.

According to Carter, the Marine Corps requested several exemptions from his decision to allow women access to all military jobs. Carter said he overruled their objections.

Nancy Duff Campbell, the co-president of the National Women’s Law Center, expressed her enthusiasm over Carter’s announcement.

“We applaud today’s announcement that knocks down the last remaining official barrier to women’s military service and ensures the full integration of women into all military jobs, positions and units,” she said.

Carter's decision allows women to occupy 220,000 jobs that are currently limited to only men. Women will also now be able to join special forces teams like the Navy SEALs, Delta Force, etc., if they qualify.

The groundbreaking change in policy will take effect after 30 days. Questions of whether or not women will now have to sign up for Selective Service remain unanswered.