If they do this.... you got to know they're going to dumb down the program so that the women can pass all the test. No way will they be willing to have 20 girls in a class and have 19 flunk out. They're going to try and make them all Jessica whatever her name was ... the made up hero who was unconscious through the fire fight when her convoy was attacked. Yet the press and the military were wanting to give her a medal of honor. She was even given a million bucks for book rights for sleeping through it all.
Waay back in the day... Westpoint wanted me based on my ACT scores (and moreover because of my gender and that I'm not white). I would have gone but back then women were support roles only. Sorry, to me that's just demeaning. Could I have passed the same requirements as the men. Maybe. Maybe not. I know I could have kicked the azz of men my size pretty easily. But I wasn't a frail 120lb girl then. I think I quit being 120 when I was 12. I think women should have the chance to try. Absolutely do not change the requirements tho'. That's stupid unless they make whole new units for smaller people. Which is a thought. Hey, they're harder to hit! lol. The badass Gurkhas have a reputation far and wide as exceptional fighters and they're small people. I really don't see why so many people are opposed to it. It's not as if there's suddenly going to be a flood of complete Nancys running to try out for the frontline.
If they were not we would simply nuke one of their population centers and then bomb the meeting place of those that wanted to set the terms on their surrender, once the leadership was gone the pillaging of natural recourses and hot women would be our goals. And after a short dwell time we could kill off whom ever ventured to gain from our expenditures. Sounds kick *** doesn't it!
Great post in my opinion. AND, I would have no problem with you running around with a belt full of 30 round mags!!
No it's not. It's an unrealistic post... just as this new direction is unrealistic... FOR MOST. There are exceptions... but MOST will not fall into this category. I've been in knock down drag out combat and whiney little women will not perform as a rule in this environment. If you have and exception... then let them have at it... but you damn sure can't dumb down the requirements to let them play in the game. And it's not a game. It's exhausting, and tiring and hard and a real *****. You don't need someone whimpering in a foxhole when the green tracers are coming your way. You don't need a special memorial because some girl got her head blown off. And that's what's going to happen. With todays press coverage of every meal or fart the military takes... they'll blow it up and take away from the real news story. It's war... people die and more people will die. Don't sing me a special sob story because it's someones cute little daughter if you make her an 11Bravo who can't run, can't carry a fellow soldier and is not built to play in war games.. We are not Israel. We do not have their moral strength and steadfast mind set. Yes they have women. No they don't differentiate between a male or female dying in combat. Tell me we can do that... I think not. Hell, we used to loose several hundred a week in Vietnam and now we loose less in a year in Afghanistan than we did in Vietnam and everyone goes crazy when a local boy gets whacked. We're soft... we've gotten soft. Hell on D Day they lost thousands in one day... and now we have all these pity parties for one.... our country can't handle Suzzie getting a bullet in the head.
I definitely dont think they should dumb anything down. For Combat branches they should make the women pass the same standards. Im saying if they think they can do it, give them the chance. Sure most women would fall into that category, but most of those women probably wont be trying out for combat branches. Only the ones who feel super macho would probably be the ones to try out. Ive seen some pretty big women in my day, and im not talking fat.
I have been following these posts for the past couple days and have read a number of good, bad, sexist and a couple just plain ignorant comments. First, I am for determining whether someone is fit to fight based on what they "can" do, not what they "can't." I don't think it is reasonable to expect a 5'2" 115 lb woman to be as physically strong as a 6'2" 200 pound man any more than it would be reasonable to expect a 5' 2" 115 pound man to be as strong as a 6'2" 200 pound man. That just isn't a reasonable expectation. But there are physical standards that must be met. How much does that pack weigh by time it is loaded down with all the gear needed for combat? Some packs depending on a specific MOS or AFSC can easily exceed 80 lbs. Can a woman carry her weight plus that pack... to an acceptable standard? Can she move fast enough during a bugout with her pack just like every one else? If so, by all means, do so. If women are going to be allowed in the military, they should be allowed to try... I guess. But what I don't think we should do is turn a blind eye to a man who is unfit for duty and allow him into combat just because he is a man while disqualifying a woman of equal ability. Why not have some physical fitness tests before the training begins for all candidates and either qualify or disqualify them, based on ability or potential ability, not their sex. I personally have my doubts for most women but I know there are some who can serve in some very specific combat roles that may be different than the roles in which some men may serve. Now, that being said, I am personally against women in combat... for different reasons that have nothing to do with whether I think they can do it, but because I think it is "my job," as a husband... as a father... as a man... to be the protector and provider of my family. That's just the standard, I believe, a man is to be judged by. You ask me who is going to fight for my family... I will. Who is going to be the provider... I will. Who is going to set the direction for my family and make the hard choices and say I am responsible when things go wrong... I will. But that's me.
What he said. I also cannot believe that the average female will be able to do, in combat, what the average male can do.
If a woman can pass both the physical and mental requirments of any MOS with the same standards then I totally support it. The are some MOS(s) more fitting for indivuidles redardless is your female or male. I was lucky enough to take a ride with 190th Air Refueling Wing out of Kansas. The first photo I took was of a F-16 with a woman pilot! She blew me a kiss as I was taking pictures of her! I think I blushed!
Well there is a fitness test everyone does, its the PT Test. The only thing is, the PT Test is a different standard for men and women. We're talking as if all men are the same size and physical fitness. They are not, there are definitely some weak men and strong women. We can't distinguish between average men and average women as the average woman will most likely not be trying out for combat arms.
I have been around sports and highly trained female athletes a long time and can tell you this......even the most highly trained and I mean world class female athletes have a heck of a time physically fighting with/lifting weights against/raw strength comparison with even an average military fit male of even the same size. That is not being sexist, that is being real. Now, don't get me wrong. I agree with everyone getting a fair shake and if a woman can pass all the physical fitness test requirements and can drag a 150-200 lb dead weight dummy a good distance to simulate dragging a fallen soldier off the battlefield, then let her in the military on the front line. If not, she should be like every other male that could not pass the physical requirements....either kicked out or recycled.
Yes, it is. You need to re-read her post. She said nothing of "dumbing down" the requirements. In fact, quite the opposite. IF a woman is capable of passing all current physical, mental, and technical requirements, she should be allowed to risk her life just the same. Nobody said "most" or even "ANY" women will meet the requirements. But, IF they can, they should be allowed to fight for their country.
