Women will be allowed to serve in combat

[Skip]

I think this may be one of those things that has to be done so that in the future we can say, "We tried this, and it didn't work."

While I want to believe leadership would reverse course if it turned out to hurt out mil/defense, I don't see that happening with any other social experiment.

Many of the senior leadership who opposed what is happening to the mil have been purged. We just riffd how many combat vets?

I'm still waiting for that level of integrity on the ACA and it isn't happening. Hell, has anyone asked Obama to back off of Assad after the humanitarian crisis he created? And Obama is the Peace Prize President! Zero accountability means no motivation to change.

[TheGrey]

Lots of interesting points all around here. Just wanted to say as a side note that I'm glad you're here Tan. We need more like-minded females on this sausage-fest of a forum.

Thank you, Brian!
I appreciate being here. It gives me an opportunity to understand where differing views are coming from (for the most part) and I am shown perspectives that make me think.

[Ronin13]

Are you serious?
We're talking about people who put there lives on the line, and you are suggesting, let's just see what happens?

I'm confident that they would weed out the ones that can't hack it in training before they deploy. We've had instances where young men are all gung ho and make it through OSUT (Infantry) and get to their unit, do well in all the training, shoot fine, stay up on their PT, check all the pre-deployment boxes, and then deploy and completely fall apart. No one is immune to being a crap soldier. I would be curious to see how this works out, if it works out. It works in Israel, Canada, Germany, to name a few. I would hope our culture is not so dissimilar from them, that maybe this could work. But Zund makes a great point, at least for the Marines Infantry. Army we get to pick our jobs.

ETA: When I went through basic in 2006 our Iron Soldier (that's the individual who scored the highest on all their PT tests) was a female. FWIW.

[TheGrey]

As a female, I appreciate that you clarified that it was your choice to work twice as hard. Some females do choose to work twice as hard simply to prove themselves, to their own self or to others- and all too often in attempt to prove themselves equal to males. Some females act as if their choice to work twice as hard is some sort of favor to the rest of us, when that is not the case. I am perfectly content not being in the military, and not working twice as hard simply to prove myself. I am much happier being good at certain things because I put the time and effort in to become better at them- for my own satisfaction and personal growth.

I don't think men and women are equal. Roles are changing over time, but I still believe we have different strengths and weaknesses, and that when we truly work as a team we can accomplish great things.

I'm sure the women who attempt to fight the front lines have a clear understanding that they will have to work twice as hard to prove themselves as a certain caliber of soldier, and with that comes added stress, health issues, and a more defensive demeanor overall. My hope would be that they are putting themselves out front because they really believe they are making a difference in the safety and overall well-being of US citizens, or otherwise protecting our country, and not simply to be the "first female on the front line".

Bingo! Well-said. I believe that it boils down to intent and motivation, in addition to the physical and mental will. If she's doing it to be the first female on the front line, she's doomed to fail. If she has the physical capability and the willpower to make it happen, as well as the desire to be a capable soldier first, then more power to her. In a combat situation, the team comes first.

[Irving]

Are you serious?
We're talking about people who put there lives on the line, and you are suggesting, let's just see what happens?

1) Don't forget who exactly is volunteering their lives here.
2) That is my observation of the decision in this time and political climate. Fortunately, this is not a decision that I'm required to make.

[Monky]

Where are those sammiches? I'm hungry

[Ronin13]

Where are those sammiches? I'm hungry

Jerad has your sandwich...

[68Charger]

As for the selective service, how well do you think the special snowflakes in Academia right now would deal with being drafted, regardless of their gender?

[PugnacAutMortem]

As for the selective service, how well do you think the special snowflakes in Academia right now would deal with being drafted, regardless of their gender?

They will have to build more prisons because my guess is 95% of people eligible for selective services would rather go to prison than into the military. I don't think they will ever be able to man an army with the draft ever again.

[RblDiver]

As for the selective service, how well do you think the special snowflakes in Academia right now would deal with being drafted, regardless of their gender?

I think all would get an exemption for clear mental illness.