The British Army recently admitted that it was resigned to the fact that the government was going to force them to allow women into combat positions including front-line infantry and tank units. Newspaper reports used a stock photo of Lance Bombardier Heidi Cochrane (who serves in the 16th Regiment of the Royal Artillery), crouched at a barricade staring down the barrel of her rifle. A few days later, however, the British Army was forced to admit that Ms Cochrane had in fact gone AWOL seven months ago, while on Cyprus during an exercise. She had, according to a note she left behind, run off with a sergeant in the unit, leaving behind her husband.Stephen V Cole