I'm a female Army veteran. When I was in I knew of no women who could challenge/match men physically - none. Many of us were very good shots, some proved to be good tacticians, but we couldn't keep up in the field. Training maneuvers slowed because we did not have the stamina to maintain a march with full ruck.
Time and again I witnessed female troops asking for and expecting help from their male counterparts. Not many males refused and a few even offered help when it clearly was not needed. I'm not saying every female troop was weak and ineffective, but there was a social dynamic that could not be denied.
If the Marines plan to use all female combat units in the future it might, maybe, work. I can't see coed front line combat being successful any time soon.
Hi,
As a marine, I first offer my kudos to those women who compete on the same field. All too often I have seen two sets of standards and it really does neither men or women any good. Everything a woman accomplishes is suspect, and as you so well pointed out, it could also put the men in more danger in a combat situation.
Folks never get the point that in war our enemy doesn't much give a damn or follow the rules. My biggest fear as a women in combat would not be getting killed but being captured. Name one enemy in our history that has followed the rules of the Geneva Convention.
If our society is willing to accept combat casulties and the adverse consequences of what would likely to happen to women POW's, then so be it. Those women who do volunteer for the job know the risks.
As a father, grand father and great grand father; I have done as my daughter suggested to me years ago, un-learned a lot of things; particularly when it came to women. I just don't want anyone's son being killed or injured because he is put at risk for some libs views and turning the military into a social experiment.
As far as the idea it will put the issue to rest once and for all. Forget that. The stats and truth will be so covered up we will never know.
I would hope women would understand their combat risk is much greater than her male counterparts and use some common sense.
Let all those in the women's movement who preach from on high go to the head of the damn line.
regards,
5412
PS: Anyone watch the series Top Shot? There are some damn good female shots on the show but once they get into the heavy lifting, shotguns, or weapons that have heavy recoil they can no longer compete. Most of the best shots are with pistols. Anyone know why many police force now use 9mm? The women could not handle the .45 caliber so they went down to 9mm. Just a fact, does not mean anything against women. Libs, like it or not, men and women are different, got it????
