At the U.S. military base Warhorse in Iraq, one can find birth control pills, gynecological services and women’s bathrooms and showers. These are just a few signs that women in uniform in combat zones are here to stay.

The New York Times has an interesting story today on how women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have changed the way the United States goes to war, but without all the hoopla, problems with sexual relations between men and women at the camps and disruption of discipline and unit cohesion that some feared would accompany them.

The Times writes:

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the first in which tens of thousands of American military women have lived, worked and fought with men for prolonged periods. Wars without front lines, they have done more than just muddle the rules meant to keep women out of direct enemy contact. They have changed the way the United States military goes to war. They have reshaped life on bases across Iraq and Afghanistan. They have cultivated a new generation of women with a warrior’s ethos — and combat experience — that for millennia was almost exclusively the preserve of men.

But that doesn’t mean all is nice and rosy. Sexual harassment is still a problem, as is sexual assault — both of which often go underreported out of fear of retribution. A Pentagon report released earlier this year says one in three women soldiers will be victims of some sort of sexual assault during their service. Women are still viewed derisively sometimes, and it goes without saying they need to develop a thick skin to deal with all sorts of challenges, both on and off the battlefield. But they are clearly making their mark with their stellar performances.

"I’ve relieved males from command," said Col. Burt K. Thompson, the commander at Warhorse. "I’ve never relieved a female commander in two and a half years as commander."

Click here to watch a New York Times video on its report.