Women warriors saw their fair share of combat long before the ban on women in combat roles was lifted in 2013. In this TED Talk, journalist Gayle Tzemach Lemmon shares the story of Lt. Ashley White, an Army special operations team member killed alongside two Rangers by a roadside bomb in 2011.

Lt. White was a member of a cultural support team, which was charged with interacting with locals and uncovering insurgents hiding within communities. While these were not considered direct combat roles, the female-led cultural support team was often thrown right into the thick of battle.

Lt. White’s story is currently being adapted into a feature film.