Should women be able to go into combat?

Lydia K

Before I answer, let me say that I am now a traditional, loving stay-at-home wife with one son and another child on the way. But a little over a year ago, I was a soldier in Iraq for the second time. And I wasn't one of the ones who stayed inside the gates. I was an MP, resposible for convoy escorts, POW escorts and training Iraqi Police. I've been shot at, ambushed, and threatened, but never by my own soldiers. I believe that there is a certain mentality that goes along with being a female in combat..In a way we loose our femininity during missions like that. But when we come home, many of us come home to be mothers, sisters, girlfriends and wives. Some wear skirts, some cook for their significant others when they come home, others drink and dance....The army, and combat can not deny a woman her domesticity, or her femininity. Only a woman can decide where she stands in those realms.
Some women, like myself, can live in duality. I used to tell my soldiers: I wear the pants at work, and the apron in the household. They were all men, but because I had put in the hours, the sweat, and the blood...they understood.
As for women in combat being threatened. Well, rape was the last of my worries. I won't say it doesn't happen, but I will say this: women are not the only ones. That is why all soldiers train in self-defense

trusolja_dareal23

THEY ARE ARENT THEY?

Arthur

I believe the Israeli Army tried full integration of men and women into infantry units with disastrous results. They found that a young male soldier was more likely to follow his instincts and get himself killed protecting the women he served with. As a result, the combat effectiveness of the unit dropped and the casualties among the unit increased.

I donâ€™t know how this works in areas like helicopter pilots, but I remember seeing the bodies of US soldiers being dragged through the streets of Somalia. I was appalled. I donâ€™t ever want to see any woman treated like that on the nightly news. I think it is a bad policy to put women in combat.

Jack

Yes in the war on crusades women would wear men armour.

DOWN DOWN USA

DOWN DOWN ISREAL

GO HIZBOLLAH

http://nobravery.cf.huffingtonpost.com

The Key Master

it didn't enlist because of that, i wanted to go into combat, the look on the recruiters face was priceless. I'm one of those people born wrong place and wrong time, I'm sure i was meant to be a gladiator, or a khan soldier, oh well. i digress, i totally understand that there are more cons(good ones) that pros on this issue.

America and the guys fighting next to you are not ready for the visual that would bring, dead women all over...
what guy wants to have their a s s kicked by a bunch of females, i think that would make it much harder on women than men, rape would also be used as a weapon, by both sides I'm sorry to say

but would i still do it, Yes! in a new york minute

Ivan

I agree with your concept but there are actually valid health reasons why women should not be in 'guerilla' environments.

A woman's body holds more bacteria which causes infections when it is not kept clean. There was a few studies done on this issue about 15 years ago when women in combat was a hot topic. That is why some of the first women in combat were kept to jobs like helicopter pilots and now truck drivers, etc...

In the military, you never get advanced to the upper ranks unless you have combat experience. That is what started the entire argument really.

sunbaby023

As a former woman Marine, we can do anything a man can do and even better than some of them too!

Just Me

I agree with your uncle, but I think that they should be allowed in the service, but only in certain fields, and not on the battlefield. I do not think that a woman has the strength that it would take to last out there like the men do, and if they were to get captured then, there is the chance of rape and all. I know that a lot of people disagree with me, but it can get rough out there.

Hathor

Only if they are naked!

Actually this might slow down the killing process!!

suiko III luver!!

i completely agree with you.

Joseph P

Your uncle has old but good reasons behind what he says, however, I believe that a woman could be just as effective in combat as a man. The old double standards are no longer legal in the military. However, PRT tests in the military are a big difference. A male 18-21 has a little over 7 minutes to run a mile and a half. A female of the same age has a little over 15 minutes for the same distance. I believe women can measure up to the men, if given a chance.

eg_ansel

I dont think anyone should be allowed in combat at all.
Dont see georgie with his troops do ya?
Dont see cheny fighting alongside? do ya?
But they will send Condi.
Sad.
This world is a huge bubble about to pop.

fliege52000

If you ask me anybody not women not men need to go to combat..... The games with this wars on this world need to stop...

catman1016

yes

doc

I agree with you to some point. a woman has every right to defend her country as a man does. women tend to be very emotional, have you ever seen the beginning of saving private ryan? most women can't stand to watch that. if you were in combat you would see it first hand, and higher ups in the military don't think a woman can handle it on an emotional level, that they would break down emotionally, and essentially be useless to a combat unit. another reason is that politicians and others in the government don't want women coming home in bodybags to their families. if women were allowed into combat, at least in this time period, it sure would help out alot, not that women aren't fighting in iraq. there are female MP's who see almost as much combat as men in the infantry.

david_strickland31

the military is now agreeing to let women into combat.
but they have to train along side the men if they can handle that!!?>
though it is pretty rough. some women cannot handle so they get [recycled] and then if they decide they cant handle it then they get dishonorable discharge.

Common Sense

No...
I don't believe women should be on the front lines...
Would you rather fight a batallion of women or
a batallion of men ?
Does the additon of a woman to a platoon strengthen it or
weaken it ?
Social experimentation and policical correctness are not
good ideas when peoples lives are at stake..

acostafamily305

Tell your uncle that he needs to wake up and smell the coffe. There are NO frontlines anymore. Tell him that unlike men, we can actually do both, take care of kids and when neccesary, got o war and kick some ***, matter of fact I could also go over to his house and kick his *** in the front porch!!!
One thing I will say, the military is not for all women, just like it is not for all men, believe me Ive seen men be outperformed by females.

trobop

they shouldn't. unless they are stupid. i don't even want to go

jen

no,its bad enough peoples fathers and brothers and sons come home in body bags,i dont think we are ready for mothers and daughters and aunts to come home like that,women can be in the military,i believe they can be of use in other ways ,like they are now,communications,administrative,medica...

Naples_6

Sounds like your uncle needs to get in his time-machine and go back to 1950 when most women did just stay in the kitchen and cook and took care of the family! There is nothing wrong with taking care of your family, I do it, but THANK GOD I have the choice to work outside the home if I want.
I know that my husband has worked with many women during his Military career, and he has said that if he was in the middle of a war, he would definitely want some of those women there because they were so good at their jobs, and they could kick some serious @ss! He has complained about women that he has worked with, but not because their women, but because they were lazy, or not doing their job right. I have heard him gripe about men he works with as well.
Any guy that doesn't think a women can fight a war, is simply threatened by her. I've see some of these Military Girls, and I wouldn't want to mess with them! I admire those woman! Personally, I'm not sure I could do it, but I'm kind of prissy! LOL! I don't like to get dirty, and my hair and makeup always has to be done!
Without a doubt, we have some outstanding women in the United States Military! And I'm so proud of them.

Chris D

Women can and do go into combat all the time, but its not like it was back in WW2 and Vietnam, there are no frontlines to attack and have a battle on. The combat today is inside cities and towns and while on convoys. Women get shot at every day over here and shoot back.

JAMES11A

I believe women should not be in the Combat Arms (Infantry, Armor, Combat Engineers, most Field Artillery). The Air Defense Artillery is another matter, but in the main, women have no business at the front lines.

However, due to the fluid nature of battle, any combat support or combat service support unit may find itself in combat. All women should have basic combat training.

Any female service member may find herself in combat. We have female pilots. There are females serving in missile batteries. We have females serving as commanders of certain combat units.

If they are the best persons for the jobs, so be it.

However, in the trenches (or in the tanks and tracks), this is and should be an exclusively all male show.

Been there, done that. In combat units, women would be distinctly unwelcome.

Women do not have a "right" to go into combat. When their "right" compromises the ability of the unit to effeciently conduct combat operations, it endangers the entire unit.

In certain instances, women were allowed into direct combat. The forces facing the units with women ALWAYS have fought harder because the men did not want to be defeated by women.

If you can show me from experience a single instance where the presence of women in combat has enhanced the combat readiness and efficiency of a combat unit I would be willing to rethink this issue.

Theory is theory and all well and good.

In the real world, the only thing that matters is achieving success in combat. Social Engineering gets people killed.

Show me otherwise.

Pu7s3

I definitely think women should be allowed in combat. However, I believe they should have women only infantry divisions at first until men like your uncle recognize that women can be just as formidable opponents on the battlefield as men.

chica123

Yes, we can and we do. I'm going to the desert soon.

I can tell that your uncle is old fashioned. That is his own problem. You can let your uncle know that there are thousands of women in the military and we all do very important things. He's probably just threatened. It's also not all his fault. His parents also must have this oppinion or similar old fashioned beliefs. But I can tell you that I load bombs, missiles (some of both by hand, too), trouble shoot wires and mechanical problems and do basic mechanics on the F-15 fighter jet. Can he do that? I can turn a wrench probably better than he can. I can guarantee you that I can hit his *** with an M-16 while he's running at 75ft away...or my 9, 30-30,12 Gage, or either of my 22 riffles.

Good for you to have a mind of your own

JIM Q

No! Just a personal opinion.

jtapp2152

women in combat have no mercy , in the viet nam conflict 'female's were very brutal an un-merciful women . You would be changed for life in to avery hardened person . Sure go for it. If, you desire to be a combative militaey female , you have my respect and compliment's.

Christina

This whole question is kind of a joke, because if you are in a hot zone, you are in combat. The whole idea of "should" we be allowed is a moot point since we are and have been there for some time now! Unless you have a med patch on or are a religious leader, you are a viable target. So screw Uncle Sam! I'm a woman in the military and I meet the male requirements as far as PT and strength training. They aren't that much harder than what is expected of the women anyways. Women who cannot meet the same standards as men should not join the military. I hate the fact that I have to prove I am "as good as the guys" because the military requires less of me at basic training. Petition your senators and representatives to have the limits on women revoked so that we are required to meet the same standards as men.

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