Should women in the military be allowed to fight in direct combat units? (support, rifle)

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

The Army is taking another look at restrictions that prohibit women from serving in units involved in front-line combat, according to the Army's outgoing chief of staff.

"We're looking at revising the policy," Gen. George Casey said at an event in northern Virginia Thursday morning, Military.com reported. "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."

Chief of Staff: Army 'Looking' at Allowing Women in Combat

Panel To Recommend Allowing Women In Combat : NPR

I don't know a lot about this issue, so I'm wondering what others think about it - particularly people who have had military experience.

[stillkit]

Might as well formalize it as they're doing it now, in spite of MOS and deployment restrictions.

For instance, when you have women interpretor's or intelligence troops accompanying Infantry patrols, they're doing the job of a rifleman when contact is made, so why not just go ahead and make them 11B's too?

I haven't seen anything to indicate they can't hump their loads or that they melt into blobs of female jelly when the crap hits the fan. On the contrary, they're doing a magnificent job and even the male grunts aren't complaining about them.

[chielgirl]

Absolutely!
Many other countries already employ women in combat forces.

Nice post, skillkit.

[liebknecht]

Of course, why shouldn't they?

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by liebknecht

Of course, why shouldn't they?

Some say there are concerns about morale, unit cohesion - and they might get pregnant.

[JordanJP]

While I was in ROTC I met a few chicks that would whoop my ass all day long. I'd be supportive of them fighting as long as they pull their weight and accept what could possibly happen if they get captured.. and this goes for their male counterparts as well.

See "G.I. Jane". Not quite realistic but this was brought up in that movie many times.

[stillkit]

Being a former combat Infantryman myself, for a long time I was opposed to women in the Infantry for a variety of reasons, most of which we all know: Unable to bear the load, morale problems as troops pair off, pregnancies etc, etc, etc.

But, the women in this war, and the responses of their male counterparts, has convinced me I was wrong. I've decided my opposition didn't really spring from such concerns, but from male pride. The Infantry is about the last bastion of purely male behavior and I was unwilling to surrender it to women.

Now, though, I would welcome them with open arms and would serve alongside them if I could. They've proved me dreadfully wrong.

[Chava61]

I think the main concern would be if a woman was a POW. Otherwise, on an individual basis there are women who are just as capable as men.

[GregW]

Effectively women already are in combat as this is a "distributed" (I guess that is the term) war and there is no longer a rear echelon removed from the combat zone. I suggest training them, arming them and turning them loose.

Problems with pregnancies can be handled with birth control patches and condoms (btw a condom over the end of a shotgun keeps the rain and sea spray out and is self removing on the first shot) along with some self discipline. Other than saving the last bullet for you I do not know how to handle the POW problem. Besides, rape is not limited to female prisoners.

[Mooseketeer]

Absolutely. You join the Army you should have the same rights and duties as your male colleagues. Anything else is sexist and unfair.