for Glenn

[Anonymous]

Glenn: Thanks for admitting you were a bit out of hand. Look--as harsh as they are, I respect your opinions and your observations and knowledge of military history. The most effective militaries in our history should be emulated in their primary strengths, and you have a point about the necessary leverage of keeping a one composed of top notch men, strong-as-horses. But I am not exactly sitting here begging politicians to send me and my gender out in the field. Adding my personal opinion to the data I've researched, we don't really belong there. Not to say a handful of good women couldn't plan, kill, maneuver and win, and I am certainly not walking on the integrity of those who have. I know strong female sharp-shooters whom I would prefer next to me on a battlefield than some of the guys. Times are changing, that is true. Yet there is much feedback nowadays on morale and standards being sacrificed for these newer issues of "gender equality". I stand firmly by the fact that men and women are NOT the same and I am not one of those choosing to devote my life to prove a fallacy. Yet, I personally am a physically strong woman myself, and the guys used to laugh in karate because I could flip them quicker than quicksand and kick those hanging 80 lb. bags to the high heavens. I am closer to Barbie than but butch, in case you have any misconceptions about strong women. I cannot compete on the battle field with heavy weight bench-pressing males, nor do I wish to. Perhaps if it is one day decided that women should go into combat, it would better be on the condition that units are kept separate, in order to analyze overall unit effectivess during and after times of war. Then again the question arises, how many more lives are we risking overall due to the inherent strength differences between the genders (example: carrying injured buddy). My personal philosophical or spiritual devotions are of no concern to you because if they do exist they are irrelevant, and on that note I prefer to make my own conclusions and don't need to sell my liberty to any particular line of thought. So there's your answer. The object should be the analysis of why our military seems to be losing its cohesiveness and morale. This is our national security we are talking about. Anyone who is truly concerned with our staying on top of the hill as a nation of incredible comparitive military strength, will be willing to open their mind a little to objectively analyze points of weakness, and make assessments as to how we can again or for the first time make them points of strength. I am not claiming to be an authority on this subject. It is the responsibility of the "powers that be" to act based on logic and factual data, but not on ignorance or dangerous attitudes that were, for example, once tossed fatally at the Jewish people by Hitler and his armies. It is all too easy to pick an ethnic group, a religious group, a gender group, and make horrible generalizations and accusations which are immoral and unfounded, based on the principles of equality that we as a nation were founded on. (Then again while preaching freedom and justice for all I cannot overlook the inconsistency in that doctrine of thought when Native Americans had to be slaughterd to settle on "free land", and then the liberty of certain Africans was suddenly usurped by importing them to serve selfish purposes.) Whether we have confidence in our current legislative body or Commander in Chief is another topic altogether. I do feel too many individuals are going into the military for personal gain, without careful consideration of the overall picture of the inherent purpose of the organization they just joined. I do respect the fact that males need to be with males on the field for efficiency, morale, and for the loss of fewest lives as possible. I am aware that women in the military have been more than unfair in certain circumstances, using their gender to get themselves out of the responsibilities they signed up for. I am also aware males have been unjust to women in some cases, though not as often as claimed. However, I do not believe the more serious minded, intelligent, and patriotic women should be barred from serving in support roles. If we need to raise standards overall by a heck of a LOT, so be it. Then in theory you'd be left with the cream of the crop. I will say that ultimately, the concerns plaguing our modern military need to be addressed, and quickly, because desire to serve certainly seems to be waning by the great vacancies evident in our Army and Navy. I need to read more data supporting the addition of women to our military as having a serious negative affect on actual battles themselves. I do believe women who cannot carry their tools to the plane they are about to fix, and rely on the men around them to treat them like a princess, should be barred. You can't yell "equality" and then assume you will be babied. On the other hand, men need to not judge all women soldiers along the lines of these types. There are warrior women out there, Glenn, but as a woman I have so many choices out there in the civilian world. In a year and a half, I will have my MIS degree, and will make considerably more out in the civilian plane than officer pay could possibly offer me. To go in would inevitably be a sacrifice on my end, so I'm not going in to abuse the system, just for your info. Why do I still feel the urge to go in? Because I believe I have what it takes to make it, and I feel I can offer guidance and leadership to troops, and yes--the "I" word...intellect. But I take your opinion with a little more than a grain of salt because of some valid points; and death is a reality, not a game to be played with. If my going in is going to endanger strong and proud men of good moral character trying to defend this country (is that what they call it nowadays?), do you think I want to help them to be slain? My intent was exactly the opposite. It's bad enough we have become the global police force. We exist somewhat successfully as a democratic society, but I don't believe the rest of the world is ready just yet to receive the US blue print for all governments to follow. Yet like you said, it is crucial we do not decline as a military power, for all obvious reasons. If some cold hard facts are laid forth as to how my presence in the military would endanger the very body of it, the morale of it, the strength of it as a whole, then I would do the honorable thing and renounce my intention to sign a possible contract with death. And no, my parents need not plan for my death, you crossed mine and my family's honor with your "planning my death" comment. I do get your point. Whether officers are not necessary or not, it is not my responsibility to decide on that matter. I figure it is better to give orders than to take them. I do respect your 10 years of service and your arguments, however I do ask that you re-evaluate your notions pertaining to the inherent purpose of women as being beverage waitresses in the home. -NAT

nataliet@ccess.net

[Anonymous]

Very well put Natalie. Glenn, I really do wish that you would read this and take it to heart.


:
: Glenn: Thanks for admitting you were a bit out of hand. Look--as harsh as
: they are, I respect your opinions and your observations and knowledge of
: military history. The most effective militaries in our history should be
: emulated in their primary strengths, and you have a point about the
: necessary leverage of keeping a one composed of top notch men,
: strong-as-horses. But I am not exactly sitting here begging politicians to
: send me and my gender out in the field. Adding my personal opinion to the
: data I've researched, we don't really belong there. Not to say a handful
: of good women couldn't plan, kill, maneuver and win, and I am certainly
: not walking on the integrity of those who have. I know strong female
: sharp-shooters whom I would prefer next to me on a battlefield than some
: of the guys. Times are changing, that is true. Yet there is much feedback
: nowadays on morale and standards being sacrificed for these newer issues
: of "gender equality". I stand firmly by the fact that men and
: women are NOT the same and I am not one of those choosing to devote my
: life to prove a fallacy. Yet, I personally am a physically strong woman
: myself, and the guys used to laugh in karate because I could flip them
: quicker than quicksand and kick those hanging 80 lb. bags to the high
: heavens. I am closer to Barbie than but butch, in case you have any
: misconceptions about strong women. I cannot compete on the battle field
: with heavy weight bench-pressing males, nor do I wish to. Perhaps if it is
: one day decided that women should go into combat, it would better be on
: the condition that units are kept separate, in order to analyze overall
: unit effectivess during and after times of war. Then again the question
: arises, how many more lives are we risking overall due to the inherent
: strength differences between the genders (example: carrying injured
: buddy). My personal philosophical or spiritual devotions are of no concern
: to you because if they do exist they are irrelevant, and on that note I
: prefer to make my own conclusions and don't need to sell my liberty to any
: particular line of thought. So there's your answer. The object should be
: the analysis of why our military seems to be losing its cohesiveness and
: morale. This is our national security we are talking about. Anyone who is
: truly concerned with our staying on top of the hill as a nation of
: incredible comparitive military strength, will be willing to open their
: mind a little to objectively analyze points of weakness, and make
: assessments as to how we can again or for the first time make them points
: of strength. I am not claiming to be an authority on this subject. It is
: the responsibility of the "powers that be" to act based on logic
: and factual data, but not on ignorance or dangerous attitudes that were,
: for example, once tossed fatally at the Jewish people by Hitler and his
: armies. It is all too easy to pick an ethnic group, a religious group, a
: gender group, and make horrible generalizations and accusations which are
: immoral and unfounded, based on the principles of equality that we as a
: nation were founded on. (Then again while preaching freedom and justice
: for all I cannot overlook the inconsistency in that doctrine of thought
: when Native Americans had to be slaughterd to settle on "free
: land", and then the liberty of certain Africans was suddenly usurped
: by importing them to serve selfish purposes.) Whether we have confidence
: in our current legislative body or Commander in Chief is another topic
: altogether. I do feel too many individuals are going into the military for
: personal gain, without careful consideration of the overall picture of the
: inherent purpose of the organization they just joined. I do respect the
: fact that males need to be with males on the field for efficiency, morale,
: and for the loss of fewest lives as possible. I am aware that women in the
: military have been more than unfair in certain circumstances, using their
: gender to get themselves out of the responsibilities they signed up for. I
: am also aware males have been unjust to women in some cases, though not as
: often as claimed. However, I do not believe the more serious minded,
: intelligent, and patriotic women should be barred from serving in support
: roles. If we need to raise standards overall by a heck of a LOT, so be it.
: Then in theory you'd be left with the cream of the crop. I will say that
: ultimately, the concerns plaguing our modern military need to be
: addressed, and quickly, because desire to serve certainly seems to be
: waning by the great vacancies evident in our Army and Navy. I need to read
: more data supporting the addition of women to our military as having a
: serious negative affect on actual battles themselves. I do believe women
: who cannot carry their tools to the plane they are about to fix, and rely
: on the men around them to treat them like a princess, should be barred.
: You can't yell "equality" and then assume you will be babied. On
: the other hand, men need to not judge all women soldiers along the lines
: of these types. There are warrior women out there, Glenn, but as a woman I
: have so many choices out there in the civilian world. In a year and a
: half, I will have my MIS degree, and will make considerably more out in
: the civilian plane than officer pay could possibly offer me. To go in
: would inevitably be a sacrifice on my end, so I'm not going in to abuse
: the system, just for your info. Why do I still feel the urge to go in?
: Because I believe I have what it takes to make it, and I feel I can offer
: guidance and leadership to troops, and yes--the "I"
: word...intellect. But I take your opinion with a little more than a grain
: of salt because of some valid points; and death is a reality, not a game
: to be played with. If my going in is going to endanger strong and proud
: men of good moral character trying to defend this country (is that what
: they call it nowadays?), do you think I want to help them to be slain? My
: intent was exactly the opposite. It's bad enough we have become the global
: police force. We exist somewhat successfully as a democratic society, but
: I don't believe the rest of the world is ready just yet to receive the US
: blue print for all governments to follow. Yet like you said, it is crucial
: we do not decline as a military power, for all obvious reasons. If some
: cold hard facts are laid forth as to how my presence in the military would
: endanger the very body of it, the morale of it, the strength of it as a
: whole, then I would do the honorable thing and renounce my intention to
: sign a possible contract with death. And no, my parents need not plan for
: my death, you crossed mine and my family's honor with your "planning
: my death" comment. I do get your point. Whether officers are not
: necessary or not, it is not my responsibility to decide on that matter. I
: figure it is better to give orders than to take them. I do respect your 10
: years of service and your arguments, however I do ask that you re-evaluate
: your notions pertaining to the inherent purpose of women as being beverage
: waitresses in the home. -NAT


herndonj@yahoo.com