U.S. Army To Make 'Xena: Warrior Princess'-Style Armor For Women

Lore has it that the Amazons, the all-female warriors of ancient myth, would slice off their left breasts to make it easier to shoot arrows and hurl spears. The U.S. military is hoping their female fighters won't have to do the same, as pressure mounts to admit women into combat roles. Military engineers are currently designing "Xena: Warrior Princess"-style body armor for women, reports The Christian Science Monitor: protective clothing better suited to the curves, chest and hips of the female form.

Women are technically banned from front-line roles, and can only be "attached" to infantry units, and not "assigned" to them. But being a mechanic or driver in Iraq's Sunni Triangle or the deserts of Afghanistan is pretty close to combat, particularly if you lose your limbs, or life, in a blast.