Anonymous
12-31-1969, 08:00 PM
I have absolutely no problem at all with women in the military.However, I am completely opposed to them in combat arms!Who am I to make such a statement? I am a Staff Sergeant,**ranger qualified, master rated paratrooper**in the 82nd Airborne Division. In addition, I have spent my share of time in combat.** In the Persian Gulf, It was nothing for the front line soldiers to go 60 days without a shower. In my opinion, since her and I would be sharing a foxhole together, a females personal hygene is something that cannot be sacrificed. Please dont misunderstand this statement. I**fully support, and am aware of the females role in past and future wars.**In addition to the hygene problem that we would face. I dont believe that our society is ready to face the fact that when an American female becomes a prisoner of war. She is going to be brutally raped and tortured. Then it will probably be exploited on TV. by some sick dictator who doesnt even know how to spell Geneva Convention.**In combat units it is often demanded that you carry ruc sacks in excess of 70 pounds and carry it for over 12 miles. (not to mention, you are carring a 10 pound weapon, wearing combat boots,a helmet,and it is 95 degrees out. **Sure there are women who could handle this . But what about the**majority who couldnt. Lets see, we'll just let the ones who want to join combat units join them. And the other ones, take more of a less physical demanding one. Sounds great, right now. What happens when a major war arrises and a draft is needed. What then? Just let the tougher ones join infantry units and the weaker (physically) ones go to MASH units. How fair is that? What about the weak men? Where would we be today if we let all the weak men of the past join what ever MOS, military occupation skill, they wanted. I'll tell you, we would probably be part of Russia or Japan right now.** So some of you are probably thinking, OK then just make the draft the same for the women as the men. Which is you go where you are needed. Whether it be an infantry unit or a service and support unit.** Sounds fair. Until you involve reality. Which is that out society is not**ready to send a beautiful, young, mother of two into combat. Especially if she doesnt want to go. But the young, handsome, father of two is the first to go. No, our society doesnt like that either. But we accept it. ** In conclusion: For those of you who demand equal rights in the military. Please think about what it really means. And although some of you accept it right now. Will you when it comes to sending your daughter into combat?**********
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TKIRK2428@aol.com
Anonymous
12-31-1969, 08:00 PM
You have a lot of good points in your statement. However, I have to disagree as well.**I was a Sgt in the Army, granted I was in Transportation but that doesn't mean you know a great deal more (just because you have a Ranger Tab, etc...).Yes there is a major problem when it comes to deciding who is to go to war when there is total equality in the Military.**There has to be a set standard.**I believe for those females who want to go to the front line then they should be able to take a physical strength test and also a mentality test (this should be given to both sexes by the way to help avoid field stress and the likes of it).**There are a lot of women out there who are physically able to do those things that you infantry men do.**There are also some infantry men out there who cannot do those things so well.**There are women who make it throught those physically demanding schools - Air Assualt/Air Borne/ ETC.....**So possibly this test could be an across the board thing.**I'm not talking like the PT test where there is a seperate set of standards for males and females; but a test dependant on your bodyfat-to-muscle ratio as well as your physical ability compared to your size (height). These things if well thought out (not like the AirForce's New Ergometry Bicycle-PT-test) it could be very accurate and fair.Also if we look into some scientific studies we will find that when under pressure a majority of women hold themselves together where a lot of men (even trained men) tend to loose it.**So a women in a combat environment could actually help the leadership and decision-making processes/situations.**As for the bathing requirments - a lot of times when a unit goes to the field and they have these whinning women "I have to go in and take a shower - you have to allow me by regulation every three days" etc...These females are just whining or are too soft (for lack of a better word)to be in that environment anyways. There are ways to stay clen out there! I loved going to the field - I loved War games and foxholes and I do anything right now to trade in this desk and computer and civilian clothes for BDU's and mud and a red-lensed-flashlight!!!!!!!!The part about the civilians never being able to get over women going to war. True they'll probably never accept women being dreafted but if it is a women's choice to go then the only people that have a right to argue or worry are that aomen's friends and family but that is something that she will have to deal with the Military can't talk them into that acceptance only the woman's own will can do that (there could be classes on dealing with that.**There are already death, acap, pre-deployment, stress, and so many other classes that the military offers this one would be just another drop in the bucket and probably and very good learning tool.The only three major concerns that I have are as follows :-The first is that men have this natural instinct to protect and I'm afraid that they would never let a female be in the lead out in the combat environment and if a female were to get shot he'd either want to carry her to safety and worry about little else but accomplishing that task, or he'd go on a rampage of revenge to defend her honor and forget the real mission at hand.-The second is that famous scene from the movies where people think they are about to die so that declare this love they have for each other and have that "one last time".**Romance could really get in the way out there.**Which brings me to the third concern :-If two people are a couple and they're in the same unit and the get into somekind of argument before they get out there then either their mind will be in the wrong place or they will be too busy arguing to worry about anything else.Maybe there could be a special field unit made up of men and women to do certain operations out there.**To be some kind of a back-up unit in the front lines? I'm sure if we thought these things out a little more we could find the perfect solution to bring out the equality that many women are longing for and all women deserve, and that all men (well most men because some men NEVER will) agree on!?
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kristina.kat@mailexcite.com