Army considering dropping ban on female soldiers in combat units

[Anti Federalist]

No word yet on when women will be required to register for Selective Service.



Army ‘revisiting’ ban on female soldiers in combat units, Gen. Casey announces

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/a...-combat-units/

The Army's top general said recently that a policy banning women from combat arms units could soon be revised.

"We're looking at revising the policy," Gen. George W. Casey Jr. told a breakfast gathering of the Association of the U.S. Army in Arlington, Va. "We've had some work going on for a while, and that'll double back up to the secretary, I would think, in the next couple of months."

"When I get the recommendations back from the team [studying it], I'll take a look at it, but right now I wouldn't want to venture a guess and put my successor in a box," Gen. Casey said, according to Military.com.

If the Army actually did overturn the ban on women in combat units in that time-frame, it could beat the ongoing integration of openly gay soldiers into all regular units military-wide.

President Barack Obama called for changes to the military's discriminatory anti-gay policies, which were repealed by Congress in its last lame-duck session, to be implemented "quickly." The Department of Defense, however, has not specified how long full integration will take or what specifically will be changing, but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has suggested it could take up to a year.

[RCA]

why not, maybe it will wake some women up to the evils of empire.

[Anti Federalist]

why not, maybe it will wake some women up to the evils of empire.

I wrote something really awful in response and redacted it...

Yes, maybe it will...

[coastie]

why not, maybe it will wake some women up to the evils of empire.

More importantly-it will wake up the men. I wonder how long wars (like the current ones) will last when the soldiers see "their" women being shot and blown up?

[cindy25]

I think their plan is not just registration, but full slavery.

repealing DADT removed the "Gay" excuse; now they are nudging the public to accept women without arms and legs.

[Anti Federalist]

More importantly-it will wake up the men. I wonder how long wars (like the current ones) will last when the soldiers see "their" women being shot and blown up?

The way men and women have been trained to hate each other and treat each other like trash, I'd doubt they'd care much one way or the other.

To a normal red blooded man like you or me, it would be reprehensible.

[coastie]

The way men and women have been trained to hate each other and treat each other like trash, I'd doubt they'd care much one way or the other.

To a normal red blooded man like you or me, it would be reprehensible.

Hmmm, I dont know. I remember reading about this being the exact reason women have traditionally not been allowed in combat.

When I was in the military, the relationships that would develop in the co-ed units were pretty weird to me, as these kids would be instantly in "love" with each other after one drunken night. I mean puppy love, AF. Those guys who fall for these girls would probably $#@!ing lose it, I'd imagine, if they saw them blown to bits.

But as you said-maybe not. They're all so dumbed down today, who knows. I guess there I go again, unconsciously hoping there's still a thread of humanity left.

[Anti Federalist]

Hmmm, I dont know. I remember reading about this being the exact reason women have traditionally not been allowed in combat.

When I was in the military, the relationships that would develop in the co-ed units were pretty weird to me, as these kids would be instantly in "love" with each other after one drunken night. I mean puppy love, AF. Those guys who fall for these girls would probably $#@!ing lose it, I'd imagine, if they saw them blown to bits.

But as you said-maybe not. They're all so dumbed down today, who knows. I guess there I go again, unconsciously hoping there's still a thread of humanity left.

Yeah, I see the same thing on these boats from time to time, only there's usually just one female with a whole herd of young bucks looking to show their prowess to them.

LoL.

I guess we'll see how this all turns out.

All the squawking from the brass is just that though, squawking.

The regime is loves this, and repealing DADT, and all the rest, keeps the ranks nice and full.

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

Yea, anyone else not buying that they're doing this for 'integration' reasons and not for having plenty of fresh bodies to throw into the gaping holes in the lines? Didn't think so. Just another brick in the wall, my friends.

[Philhelm]

I've always been against women being in combat arms units. I suppose by today's standards, I'd be a chauvenistic pig, despite the fact that I don't believe that women should be pregnant, barefoot, and in the kitchen. I guess I still believe that a man should never hit a woman, much less shoot at one, despite the fact that the genders are supposedly equal in every way imaginable. Also, from a pragmantic perspective, co-ed units cause nothing but disciplinary problems.

Que calls of sexism, neoconism, and statism in 3...2...1...

[amy31416]

I'm just as much against women registering for selective service and being on the front lines, as I am men.

If there were just wars (ha), I'd still be against the selective service for anyone, but I have zero interest in the front lines. I'd be much less effective than even the worst man, I think. And I don't want to lose my humanity. I'll patch you guys back up though after ya get yer ass shot off though.

For females who are interested, I don't see a problem with specialized units for them. There's quite a bit of reported brutality/rape against women in the military in regular circumstances, so I don't see why any woman would want to serve in a co-ed combat unit.

[coastie]

I'm just as much against women registering for selective service and being on the front lines, as I am men.

If there were just wars (ha), I'd still be against the selective service for anyone, but I have zero interest in the front lines. I'd be much less effective than even the worst man, I think. And I don't want to lose my humanity. I'll patch you guys back up though after ya get yer ass shot off though.

For females who are interested, I don't see a problem with specialized units for them. There's quite a bit of reported brutality/rape against women in the military in regular circumstances, so I don't see why any woman would want to serve in a co-ed combat unit.

True, although I never witnessed that while I was in. What I did witness(especially on ships), was the crazy, warped "scene" that today's "youth" associated with. Drinking every night, at every bar in town. Girls you thought were wholesome doing things with multiple guys that would make even this salty sailor blush.

Every unit I was stationed at-beginning with boot camp(the girls barracks were a bout 25 ft from ours, separated by a small hallway), had all kinds of crazy love tetrahedrons going on. This also spawned jealous, hateful relationships, and they became disruptive to operations on numerous occasions. Add to that the dangerous conditions we worked in, and things could get real hairy, really quick over stupid puppy love $#@!.

Add combat to that equation.

So what's next though-all women combat units? I suspect mass casualties amongst females would end these wars real quick. Oh, and TPTB can go $#@! themselves if they think my daughter(or son) is gonna be signing for the draft.

[Agorism]

Guess they're short on troops

[Keith and stuff]

It seems natural. Women have been serving in combat roles as security, drivers and riders in Iraq and Afgan for years.

[Heimdallr]

Why don't you just have women-only combat units?

[MelissaWV]

This is pretty clever in a few ways. If women are eligible for combat, then they are well on their way to being eligible for the draft. Of course many women (just like men) are no longer physically fit to the old military's standards, so that will be an "out" for some. For others, though, who are "fit" and don't yet have familial obligations they can say keep them from service? A broken condom or a forgotten birth control pill could lead to a ready-made excuse/health crisis. You wouldn't send PREGNANT women into combat, would you America?

When all these good little children are born, there will suddenly be a new bumper crop of single moms with kiddos to feed and likely on at least one Government program at some point or another in their lives. (I'm assuming anonymous fathers, or else there'll be a lot of child support orders, too.) More kids for the public school system. More kids to prop up failing Social Security. They'll be "soldiers" of another sort.

Or, as the alternative, women will be in combat situations and the military will gain more interest and support from odd corners. It would be simple enough to create "female only" combat units and then have them guard some meaningless outpost or man a checkpoint in the middle of nowhere.

* * *

Personally, I've never been bothered by the idea of women in combat as a part of an honestly all-volunteer military. Those of us who've talked about militia at home have not talked about it being of one gender. The guns behind every blade of grass are sometimes held by mothers, daughters, or sisters. My problem with the current women in the military serving in current combat roles is twofold. First, the wars are unjust. Second, they are not held to the same standards as the men.

I think it would be a different kettle of fish for the military men if the women in their unit were literally the same as the guys in all but physiology. If she really had to undergo the same physical standards, and the bar was never lowered or bent for women (or men; they're doing that now, too) who can't quite cut it, some of this idea of frailty would vanish. The same can be said for all those other professions where women demand equal rights. If the entrance standards are really equal, and she can make it through, and she WANTS to be in that environment... eh... caveat emptor, good luck, and no crying.

[Anti Federalist]

You wouldn't send PREGNANT women into combat, would you America?

I fail to see, with the concepts of both chivalry and propriety being as dead as coffin nails, what in the world would possibly prevent them (meaning the mass of mundanes) from losing a moment's worth of sleep over it.

But then again, I'm a patriarchal old fuddy duddy.

The rest of your post?

+rep for unique insight, thanks.

ETA - when I can anyway, all out of ammo.

[Pauls' Revere]

Throw them into combat...equal rights and all.

some of these women had over 300 kills.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU0DJGidzpI

[Pericles]

True, although I never witnessed that while I was in. What I did witness(especially on ships), was the crazy, warped "scene" that today's "youth" associated with. Drinking every night, at every bar in town. Girls you thought were wholesome doing things with multiple guys that would make even this salty sailor blush.

Every unit I was stationed at-beginning with boot camp(the girls barracks were a bout 25 ft from ours, separated by a small hallway), had all kinds of crazy love tetrahedrons going on. This also spawned jealous, hateful relationships, and they became disruptive to operations on numerous occasions. Add to that the dangerous conditions we worked in, and things could get real hairy, really quick over stupid puppy love $#@!.

Add combat to that equation.

So what's next though-all women combat units? I suspect mass casualties amongst females would end these wars real quick. Oh, and TPTB can go $#@! themselves if they think my daughter(or son) is gonna be signing for the draft.

This is the real reason I left the Army - I was going to be given command of such a unit, and there is no way the Army would have tolerated the number of Article 15s I was going to give out to stop that.

This will tear apart the combat units - which have two types of guys there (A) the warrior protectors who find the very idea of women being shot at the be a fundamental defect in out society that would allow such a thing to be tolerated for its women and (B) guys who have limited other options in life, who will be all over the girl GIs and will go mental at the loss of his "love". Placing women in that mix will be fatal to the women and the Army. You will be hard put to find a woman who can change road wheels and break track on M1s - it takes some upper body strength for that.

[Pericles]

Those of us who've talked about militia at home have not talked about it being of one gender. The guns behind every blade of grass are sometimes held by mothers, daughters, or sisters.

We're fine with the women who wish to participate working logpac at the FOB, but if if any of our women end up being shot, we won't see it because we will all be dead.

[oyarde]

I see this as more problematic than any reward to be gained .