Women in Combat

[thedrifter]

Women in Combat
Strategy Page
August 14, 2007

The Department of Defense has a policy that forbids the use of female troops in direct combat. This is mostly about politics, but the rule is there and must be obeyed. Or at least an attempt must be made to enforce the rule. While many women finding themselves in firefights, and exposed to roadside bombs anyway, that's normal for a combat zone. As far back as World War II, 25 percent of all troops in the army found themselves under fire at one time or another, although only about 15 percent of soldiers had a "direct combat" job. In Iraq, women make up about 14 percent of the military personnel, but only two percent of the casualties (dead and wounded). So the policy, which many politicians oppose, but most women soldiers favor, appears to be working.

Still, the casualty rate for women in Iraq is over ten times what it was in World War II, Vietnam and the 1991 Gulf War (where 30,000 women served). A lot of the combat operations experienced by women in Iraq involves base security, or guard duty. Female troops have performed well in that. This is a job that requires alertness, attention to detail and ability to quickly use your weapons when needed. In convoy operations, women have also done well, especially when it comes to spotting, and dealing with, IEDs (roadside bombs and ambushes). Going into the 21st century, warfare is becoming more automated, and less dependent on muscle and testosterone. That gives women an edge, and they exploit it, just as they have done in so many other fields.

Ellie

[Phantom Blooper]

ROUND ONE................

[Dave Coup]

Interesting, we (My wife,some former Marines and I) just had a discussion about this same thing. The consensus amoung the guys was definitely negative due to a number of factors ie upper body strength,bone structure, fat distribution and of course the thing that set my wife off, emotional tendencies.

[Alphaonethree]

I think that in the normal work place it should be equil pay for equil work. In the Marines. No Way. Its not the upper body strength or height to weight. It is our natural tendancy to protect a woman in a crisis situation. Marines can not afford to stop in the middle of a fire fight and tend to a woman. The old saying goes your either firing or reloading.

[RLeon]

No matter what the technology will be, the basic element that will secure success in warfighting is the ground pounder.
Guard duty and convoy security is NOT the same as being in an infantry or combat line unit performing arduous duties. The demands are far greater and physiologically, physically, and emotionally women are not equipped for it.

This doesn't mean women shouldn't be trained or used in combat, or that they are not as dedicated or motivate as men in the aspect of warfighting (They are Riflemen), it's just not efficient or pragmatic to integrate or form organizations of women grunts.
Now if we should ever come to a dire need of manpower in the front lines like the IDF faces with greater number of enemies perpetually surrounding them, I can see the formation of a women’s corps like the IDF used to have.

[davblay]

if this war continues, there will be women in all combat mos's.They are already a trained rifle person and know how to fight, so why not use them? JMO!

[Alphaonethree]

I doubt that The Government will allow women in Combat. Again i think that a man's natural reaction in very high strees situations is to protect woman. I know there are some pretty buff women out there but I think you will have a hard time finding one that is willing to thrust her Kbar through the brain stem of a enemy guard. Or pick up whats left of a team member arm or leg. Just dont think people have comsidered all the situations that women could find them selves in.

[hrscowboy]

Women need to stay home takin care of the house and the kids and leave the fightin to us men....

[SSgt Blue]

Hummm, Interesting. I have met some pretty good female Field MP’s that could shoot with the best of them on a MA Duce. Now is that saying I would want to have them next to me in a four man stack when clearing a house that I know has a gunmen in it. Hell know. Sorry that it just me and I’m not going to change. I had an experience with a female in combat when the bullets were hitting the track going thought An-Nasiriyah, the women was freaking the F$%^ out and trying to get out of the Track. Needless to say we got rid of her A## real quick.

[FistFu68]

KEEP-'EM BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT,THEY TEND TOO FUC-UP EVERYTHING THEY GET A'ROUND

[hrscowboy]

I dont know about the pregnant thing fist i dont like the idea of child support what so ever...

[FistFu68]

(LMAO)TELL THE TRUTH MARINE,YOU WERE A GELDING;MANY MOON'S AGO.YOU JUST SHOOTIN BLANK'S NOW,YOU OLD FART;I DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM!!!

[Marine84]

what with THIS again!?

The women in there today have waaaaaay more training than we did when I went through. For those rough & tough ones that CAN/COULD do it - have at - bless you my Sisters. For the girlie ones that want to support in the rear with the gear - bless YOU my Sisters - without YOU, the ones in the front couldn't get what they need.

Without ANY of US though you guys would have had NO FUN whatsoever

[Phantom Blooper]

what with THIS again!?

ROUND TWO

[sparkie]

84, Can you train the woman out of a woman? Guys don't have that problem.