FORT HOOD (February 13, 2012) --- A tournament testing military combat skills started Monday.

This year a record-breaking number of female soldiers signed up.

The 2012 Fort Hood Combatives Championship comes just days after the Pentagon moved to make changes to allow women to get a step closer to combat-related jobs on the battalion level.

It’s a role many have already been doing for almost a decade in similar support positions.

On Monday many female soldiers said they still want the chance to take jobs in infantry and special operations forces, roles that are still off limits to women.

"Obviously there should be some kind of requirements like you need to be able to lift this much weight or run this far, but I believe if you think you can do it you should at least get a chance to try out," Pfc. Elissa Landry said.

"A lot of people are doing the job already but its just the recognition," Spc. Isidra Barron said.

Female soldiers stationed at Fort Hood will be part of a group the U.S. Army studies while future changes to combat rules for women are considered.

"We're going to be one of the pilot programs here at Fort Hood so we'll be one of the locations that will have women serving in certain and key billets and then we'll study it and let the Army decide where it goes for the future," Lt. Gen. Donald Campbell Jr. said.