Women in Combat roles

[toonertoo]

Leon Panetta announced today openings for women in Combat roles. I wont copy and paste anything. Those who know the news, Know.
My question, and I have zero expertise here I guess would be mostly for our veterans. How do you feel about it?
From my perspective.....
When I call a cop, I want a big brawny man with a gun, not a five foot female.

If I am in a bar brawl, I would want guys, not women on my side.

The men I have been blessed to know would have a hard time going on fighting if a woman were wounded. Are you taught to just go on fighting and come back later? Would most men be capable of not coming to the rescue?
I think women can do lots in the military, but my thoughts are, they lack the strength, the stamina, and the ability to detach their emotions. I think women can do lots of physically hard jobs. I just have the feeling this isnt one of them.
Please expound. I worry about the safety of men, in the military. I know there are some bad ass women out there, I just wonder if any are bad enough.

 

[Brownslave688]

Just heard a good point. Spending as much time together as they will many will becoming sexually involved with each other. All rational thinking will likely go out the window when a significant other is either killed or wounded.


Not a great idea. At least that's my personal feeling.

 

[toonertoo]

I saw that too. When you spend so much time together, away from home, possibly for the first time in your life, attachments grow. And its no ones fault, its human nature.

 

[BrownArmy]

I think it's just fine.

Women are already in combat roles, taking fire, firing on adversaries, etc.

Women in the Armed Forces have always pulled a lot of weight, more so in the last decade, but since they've been 'officially' denied combat roles (even though they're very much in combat), they've thus been 'officially' denied promotions within the ranks.

And let's be frank, no one's trying to change the requirements for a particular position.

If you're not strong enough, etc, you can't get the job.

This is the same for men.

There are a lot of men who are a lot stronger than me...I'm stronger than a lot of men...I'm stronger than a lot of women.

There are also A LOT OF WOMEN WHO ARE A LOT STRONGER THAN ME, WHO WANT TO BE COMBAT SOLDIERS.

You're going to deny them, why?

Just heard a good point. Spending as much time together as they will many will becoming sexually involved with each other. All rational thinking will likely go out the window when a significant other is either killed or wounded.

Soooo...since women can't 'officially' be in combat, then there will be no sexual impropriety, correct?

Give me a break. No one's banning men from the military for sexual impropriety.

Men and women already serve in very close quarters in the Armed Forces.

'Officially' allowing women to go into combat (which is a ridiculous distinction, since they already very much do) won't change a single thing on the ground vis-a-vis living arrangements, etc.

These women want to fight for this country, possibly die for this country. They're already doing it, this is just a nomenclature change, and maybe some of these women will get a raise.

I'm all for it.

 

[toonertoo]

Brown Army, Im not arguing for or against, I was asking for thoughts. Not equal pay, for equal work crap. Just opinions from those who have served.
Thanks for your opinion.

 

[BrownArmy]

Brown Army, Im not arguing for or against, I was asking for thoughts. Not equal pay, for equal work crap. Just opinions from those who have served.
Thanks for your opinion.

I hear you tooner, I haven't served, but I'm arguing for.

 

[texan]

I have shared before my 20 plus years in the US Army, before being Blessed to be currently with UPS.

I was in "Combat Units" and non combat support units. The combat units I was with was armored all male
units and combat engineer unit, that was all male.

The units that were mixed are signal or communication and transporation that was mixed.

I was a Drill Sergeant in an Advanced Individual Training unit that had both males and female soldiers.

We trained truck drivers and mechanics, which is open to both sexes.

I am not a neanderthal closed minded person. I have first hand experince and I just know that
I know, it is not a good move.

I have often thought of Israel and their IDF that is mixed. But they in a way do not have a choice.
They only have a pool of 7 million to form defence force from.

To all the arm chair quarterbacks that might say I do not see a problem, that never
served (I do not demean you) let us look at this thought.

The Ravens and Patroits. Could thay have made it to the upcoming Superbowl if their teams, and only their
teams, and not the rest of the NFL, was 35 per cent women?

The NBA. Why do they have men teams and women teams?

I have met and worked with the exception women. Just as Demi Moore was such an outstanding actress in G.I. Jane
and portrayed the exception, it is not the norm.

So no, it is not wise and like many other decisions , it is politically and progressivley
motivated to pander to a small minority of advocates.

 

[Jones]

It's not better or worse, just different, it's not like women will be lining up to join the infantry anyway. People will bitch because people generally don't like change, but we're not gonna lose any wars over it.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I served for 8 years. The closest I ever got to a combat situation was when I was tasked to perform perimeter security at a C-141 crash site in Sicily. That being said, I would have a problem with women serving on the front lines in hostile territory. My attention would be split between the enemy and making sure the women were not in harm's way.

Combat is not anything like it used to be but it can still be pretty brutal.

Sexual impropriety is nothing new in the military. It was prevalent when I served in the '80s and, based on the stories from my superiors, it was prevalent in the '60s and '70s.

The one thing I did not realize is that 152 women have died in Afghanistan.

 

[cachsux]

I feel a woman can be every bit the equal soldier.

Why would women be incapable of casual sex without emotional attachment any less then men?

Where I see a weakness is in ourselves as a culture. Some cultures place no value on females as human beings much less the preposterous idea of letting one fight alongside a man. 180* from that is a culture that they are viewed equally for whatever reason. I think we, while viewing them as equally capable, have also been ingrained with the idea that the female is something to protect. "Get behind me honey. Women and children into the lifeboat first", etc.
i think a good soldier will respect a female soldier but I wonder how much will it take of seeing dead female soldiers before they are affected mentally. I'm sure it will split between the dead comrade and the dead woman.

 

[PT Stewie]

My daughter is a policewomen and also has been in harms way carrying a weapon in Afghanistan,not on the front line but had come under fire never the less. She has worked undercover on more than one occasion , participated on county wide drug arrests,pulled her weapon,and wrestled to the ground and apprehended people a lot bigger than herself.She has seen the worst of people on a constant basis but still matains a compassion for people in general. If a person can do the job no matter what their gender thet should be afforded the oppurtunity. If she wasn't allowed to be in her chosen profession it would have been a severe shame.

 

[moreluck]

A muslim being killed by a "lesser" female......how embarrassing for them. Works for me!!

 

[texan]

It's not better or worse, just different, it's not like women will be lining up to join the infantry anyway. People will bitch because people generally don't like change, but we're not gonna lose any wars over it.

The one item to consider is that a womenr chooses cook / mechanic / electronic repair "support"
they can unwillingly now be reassigned to a front-line Infantry unit in support.

Hope everyone understands that there are women that I worked with that were more than able.

But a lot were not, nor wanted to. Now it is possible those that would prefer not to, might be forced
to in the future.
,

 

[Catatonic]

Is a cook considered a combat role?

 

[serenity now]

Women are superbly designed to give life.
No, they should not be placed into the hell that is combat, to kill and maim.

What has brought this on is a relatively small, but very vocal, group of active duty servicewoman who have asked for/demanded combat duty. Combat duty on their service record will enhance their potential for advancement in a military career.

Be very careful what you ask for; you may get it.

 

[Jones]

The one item to consider is that a womenr chooses cook / mechanic / electronic repair "support"
they can unwillingly now be reassigned to a front-line Infantry unit in support.

Hope everyone understands that there are women that I worked with that were more than able.

But a lot were not, nor wanted to. Now it is possible those that would prefer not to, might be forced
to in the future.
,

Well, we have an all volunteer military so no one is forced to join, and in the types of conflict that we're currently engaged in there is not a traditional "front line" anyway. Regardless of your MOS if you don't want to risk fighting you probably shouldn't join up.

 

[Catatonic]

No, they should not be placed into the hell that is combat, to kill and maim.

Should men?

 

[serenity now]

Should men?

well gee, do you enjoy living in a free country?

my point was - someone who can give life, should not be asked to also take it

 

[BrownArmy]

my point was - someone who can give life, should not be asked to also take it

So we shouldn't have female police officers?

 

[roadrunner2012]

Just heard a good point. Spending as much time together as they will many will becoming sexually involved with each other. All rational thinking will likely go out the window when a significant other is either killed or wounded.


Not a great idea. At least that's my personal feeling.

As opposed to just being raped?