Women will pay for political maneuvering
Veterans and enlisted soldiers aren’t staying quiet about how women in combat roles will affect the guys already in those jobs, but how will this change affect the females?
In spite of the fact that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Martin Dempsey is already looking for a way to lower the physical standards for men and women in the military so that it’s “fair” it is important to consider the ramifications for women trying to enlist, or already serving, if the standards are equalized by RAISING the standards for women, which must be done if we are to remain a viable fighting force in the world.
But, doing so will significantly reduce retention and eliminate the military as an option for all but the most hardened teen aged girls.
We all know a handful of women who can do everything a man can do (and better) but can that be said of all of the women who currently make up 14 percent of the Army? Add to that many young females have no idea what they are physically capable of and the initial physical requirements already seem daunting- will they even try if the bar is raised more? Like men, they get into training and are stunned by what they are able to do and many continue to push themselves physically to become their personal best. But if they have to perform the same as a man on their ISTs, will there be ANY females left in the Marine Corps? I have to assume it takes a little more work to transform a pretty blonde 17 year old in a PINK hoodie into a Marine.
Will women make the weight standards? Many tall, strong, athletic young female would not make weight standards geared toward gangly 18 year old boys. Men are at their thinnest, most compact at that time, built nothing like a young woman. Perhaps women with breasts would be ineligible. Hmmm. “Sorry, CPL Smith, looks like you’ve, um, developed since your last weigh in.”
Additionally, are women in combat specialties-trained to fight and nothing else- willing to face an admin discharge, possibly Other Than Honorable, if they make themselves useless by pregnancy? They can’t work though the pregnancy, and it is a choice. Fair or not- sex makes women pregnant, not men. A female mechanic can work, if not PT, through her pregnancy. Not so a combat Marine.
What about the Navy? I don’t even know. Where do they fit into all of this? How will the American people react when the numbers of female dead and captured skyrockets? Will combat moms be at risk of losing their kids because of PTSD? Will there be backlash when offended populace wakes up to this nonsense?
One thing is for sure, women are going to pay for this folly.
Category: Liberals suck, Military issues, Politics
Troglodyte.
Anybody ask the spouses of male soldiers what they think of their husbands foxholing with Pvt. Daisy?
…The end results matter not. What does matter is that it is done with the best of intentions and that it IS done.
The bottom line, of course, is to get women as service chiefs, regardless of the cost, end of the discussion. We may end up facing our first flat-out, we-surrender war ever, but we will be able to say that it was an equal opportunity defeat.
Mike
Ya know, I’m guessing that the person whose name is Mud above ain’t exactly a TAH regular – and thus has no clue regarding BooRadley’s gender.
Some military jobs take a generally physically fit person. Think JAG, most USAF jobs’ etc. In these jobs gender normimg standards makes sense. However, in jobs that require service person X lift, tot and/or slog Y, well then you can do the job or you can’t. It is that simple.
“Like men, they get into training and are stunned by what they are able to do and many continue to push themselves physically to become their personal best.”
Bingo. I grew up in the country, was pretty fit as a kid, had family serve and watched all the movies. After about 6 weeks at Parris Island I was even in better shape, I had even scored a pretty good 1st Class score on my PFT.
Then we went to do our 2 weeks of ICT (Individual Combat Training) during the 3rd phase of boot camp. The first time I had to put on a fully packed rump and do a little 5 mile hump I thought they were just pulling a cruel joke on us. There was no way they were going to expect us to carry all that crap more than 1/4 of a mile. At the one mile mark I was in agony. by mile two I was mad as hell that I was being treated like a pack Mule. By mile 4 I was just numb. That was with 6 weeks of training. I ended up doing lots of humps in my career, the only thing that changed was that you mentally go where you would go numb about 1/4 mile in and not think about the pain.
This has nothing to do with women in combat. Never has. Otherwise we’d be seeing thousands of women volunteering.
It’s about votes, money, and activism.
The lowering of standards does lay the foundation for a draft. The reason why service is considered a privilige, and why so few Americans serve is that only a small percentage of Americans can pass the physical, mental and emotional standards.
Lower the standard and you can induct tens of thousands quickly. The second and third order effects are overloading the medical and HR/pay system, breaking them beyond repair, and being unable to clothe, equip, house or feed the inductees.
But through a draft, you artificially lower the unemployment rate – always good for votes, money, and activism.
But blatant employment discrimination by the federal government is cute when it works against males. I would pay money to see female “Marines” go through ITB humps.
The silence of the senior military leadership is deafening. This is what you get. No wonder we can’t win a war.
@9 Beretverde
Yep.
As long as we’re pressing for total equality, it’s time for all women 18 and older to register for the Selective Service and a potential draft, just like every American male.
How do you think that’ll sit with Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus and GaGa?
You want total equality. C’mon in!