Lifting ban on women in front-line infantry

[bookgirl]

Originally Posted by EMHDad

Does this mean that girls will finally have to register for the draft at 18 as well? How do people feel about their daughters and sisters and nieces being drafted into service if heaven forbid the draft is instituted?

The same way I feel about my nephews being drafted. What like I'm not supoosed to worry about my nephews going off to war because they're boys? That I wouldn't be proud of a girl serving thier country because they use a bra instead of a athletic cup? That's lame.

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Originally Posted by EllaM

This is going to sound sexist, but frankly I don't support the idea of women on the frontline. As much as I respect the power of women and the ideals of equality, in war our enemies have no respect for anything. Have we forgotten our chief opponents today have some of the most sexist and brutal attitudes toward women? A woman is stoned to death for adultery because she was raped. Women are to be hidden away behind veils and sold into marriage at the whim of their father.

Sure men may be sexually abused as well (and have been by the mob), but they aren't seen first and foremost as playthings of men.

There's a long brutal history of women in warfare and how they were treated. It is a very ugly history. I don't relish my nieces being forced to repeat that. There's a reason Society put these presumptions that women and children were "protected people" during war. We were too sickened by the horrific things done to these people.

There are a lot of important roles in the military. Not every one has to be treated equally. War is not fought politely or with an inherent respect for humanity. Not unless both opponents share the same core values and even then humanity often gets lost in the brutality of fighting.

I hate to break it to you, but women and children aren't a "protected people" anywhere in war. There are hundreds of thousands of women, if not millions, in war zones in Africa that are raped, and children are being stolen from their families to fight on the front lines repeatedly. While this doesn't happen here, as we don't have a land war being fought within our borders, it's happening everywhere else.

Like other PPs have said, this is really just recognizing what is currently taking place so I think it's long overdue. I also think that if we need to have a draft registry, then girls should also have to register at 18 just like boys.

[gottaluvPluto]

Originally Posted by Acklander

Oh yeah, this was in the 70's so the point is, they wanted well trained soldiers. They didn't put a difference on it. I was also held to the same physical standards as far as push ups, pull ups, running etc...

Well, for the past 23 or more years the ladies have a different physical test. A test that has smaller walls to go over, lighter backpacks to hike with and so forth.

[mhsjax]

Originally Posted by bookgirl

The same way I feel about my nephews being drafted. What like I'm not supoosed to worry about my nephews going off to war because they're boys? That I wouldn't be proud of a girl serving thier country because they use a bra instead of a athletic cup? That's lame.

I don't find it lame. I would worry about my sons, but thank God my oldest has come to his senses and decided not to go the military route. But if drafted, I would most likely worry about my DD more. As another pp stated, women are treated very differently in other countries, and I feel that if caught they would be treated far worse than any man.

Now if women want to do this, fine by all means go ahead, but I would never support a draft for women, I really don't support one for men. But if given the choice, I would prefer men.

[LBIJim]

Originally Posted by Jennasis

The military is poised to lift the ban on women serving as full-fledged combat infantry. The training for them would remain exactly the same training requirements as the men have to go through, and women would be taken into those units on a volunteer basis.

Your thoughts?

http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/tod...72372#50572372

Works for me.

Jim

[Robbi]

Post menopause woman here but as I remember, PMS is not fun either for the woman or those around her. Get these women to volunteer for front line duty and any war would be over in under 5 seconds.

Seriously though, if a woman wants to fight, let her fight. We can do anything we want to do.

[mhsjax]

Originally Posted by Robbi

Post menopause woman here but as I remember, PMS is not fun either for the woman or those around her. Get these women to volunteer for front line duty and any war would be over in under 5 seconds.

Seriously though, if a woman wants to fight, let her fight. We can do anything we want to do.

I think you are on to something here. You also know that women will sync up in their cycle. Never fails. You get a whole front line full of PMS, we would kick *** and take names later, and be done for lunch the next day.

[Acklander]

Originally Posted by gottaluvPluto

Well, for the past 23 or more years the ladies have a different physical test. A test that has smaller walls to go over, lighter backpacks to hike with and so forth.

I would assume that was job dependent. In the airborne we had the same physical requirements as the men because it was needed. They didn't make lighter parachutes for the woman, so you had to be able to carry your full weight. Same with pull ups, push ups, etc... You needed the upper body strength so you needed to be able to meet the minimum requirement standards set for the program. They didn't have different standards for the men and women.
I guess if you were working in an MOS that didn't require all the lugging or physical stamina it wouldn't matter as much.

[Gumbo4x4]

Originally Posted by mhsjax

I think you are on to something here. You also know that women will sync up in their cycle. Never fails. You get a whole front line full of PMS, we would kick *** and take names later, and be done for lunch the next day.

I'm not sure who'd have it rougher - male comrades, or the enemy

[Sanchez]

Originally Posted by Acklander

I would assume that was job dependent. In the airborne we had the same physical requirements as the men because it was needed. They didn't make lighter parachutes for the woman, so you had to be able to carry your full weight. Same with pull ups, push ups, etc... You needed the upper body strength so you needed to be able to meet the minimum requirement standards set for the program. They didn't have different standards for the men and women.
I guess if you were working in an MOS that didn't require all the lugging or physical stamina it wouldn't matter as much.

If that was true in the past it does not seem to be at present. Men and women have vastly different fitness standards for the Army BAC. http://www.military.com/military-fit...y-airborne-pft

As to the larger question, I am all for equality and women in combat. However, fitness requirements should be the same. Further, women should be required to register for the draft.

[1Mouse2RulethemAll]

Originally Posted by gottaluvPluto

Well, for the past 23 or more years the ladies have a different physical test. A test that has smaller walls to go over, lighter backpacks to hike with and so forth.

Your information is slightly off, there. Different PT test yes, same walls and backpacks though. I should know, I spent. many years in the Army.



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[gottaluvPluto]

Originally Posted by 1Mouse2RulethemAll

Your information is slightly off, there. Different PT test yes, same walls and backpacks though. I should know, I spent. many years in the Army.



Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

Sorry, but they have different test. I have also spent time in the military and know a lot of people who are still in. The women still go over smaller walls. I even call a friend of mine that is still in and she told me that her tests are easier. In fact, some women also get waivers for the PRT. The waivers rage from weight issues, just not wanting to do it and making up an excuse, that time of the month or pregnancy. I can understand pregnancy, but not the others.

If women want the front lines or any other job they should have the same requirements has a man. Even the PT test should be the same.

[plutotek]

Originally Posted by mhsjax

thank God my oldest has come to his senses and decided not to go the military route.

Took everything I had not to write my first response, so I'll just ask what you view as being so wrong about joining our military?

I have mixed emotions about women in the military, none of them having to do w/capabilities of women. My concern would be that, in times of great stress, the 'southern gentleman' that someone mentioned would come out in some men and possibly endanger any group. It's difficult to overcome centuries of training and upbringing.

However, if they do go full-blown front line duty, then women should be down at the post office on their 18th birthday, just like the men.

[snarlingcoyote]

Never mind. . .just realized someone else had answered this.

[snarlingcoyote]

I think the difference is that now that women can go into combat, the glass ceiling that's been keeping women out of the upper echelons of the military is going to crack, splinter and eventually shatter allowing some talented, gifted future female generals to emerge into leadership roles who would've otherwise been shunted elsewhere.

Other than that, I don't think it will really make much difference in today's military. Women are already serving on the front lines in grubby units doing exactly what the guys do, wearing the same clothes 30 days in a row, living in the same tents, eating the same food, carrying the same equipment, shooting the same guns when necessary.