WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he would have no hesitation ordering women into combat and explained that, as a practical matter, they're already serving that role.

Obama, who spoke with CBS shortly before Sunday's Super Bowl game, was asked about the recent order ending the Pentagon's ban on women serving in combat.

Obama said women soldiers are already vulnerable to attack and they've been wounded and killed carrying out their jobs. He said they are taking great risks should not be prevented from advancing in their careers.

The change overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units, and is expected to open up more than 230,000 combat positions that have been off limits to women.