Pros and cons of allowing women in combat?

1. 62

   alexandriaruthkposted 11 years ago

   Pros and cons of allowing women in combat?
   
   or should women be allowed in combat?

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2. 77

   flacoinohioposted 11 years ago

   Women trained in advanced Infantry Training allows them to be in a position to be able to defend themselves in a combat situation.  I do not know how many women would choose to be infantry soldiers as a primary skill when joining the military or remain an infantry soldier their entire service career.  But when placed in a situation where they are an combatant they will have the training necessary to defend themselves and members of their unit.  I believe Jessica Lynch reported that she did not fire a single shot when her convoy was attacked, she was too scared and had no idea what to do.  A well trained female soldier would be just as effective as an equally trained male soldier.  Cons would be disrespect, risk of rape by fellow troops and enemies in the event of a capture, as well as maybe more publicized brutality of a captured American female soldier.  Then there are hygiene needs and separate housing of female soldiers.  Falling in love could be an issue and then there is chivalry to deal with.  Male soldiers may want to defend a female soldier and make more unsound combat decisions in an attempt to defend a female soldier than he would a male soldier.  Female soldiers would Most likely be treated unfairly when training, there will be male soldiers that will try and break a woman to force her to quit or to ellicit an emotional responses for the sole purpose of belittling the female soldier.

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3. 71

   sarascaposted 11 years ago

   I am a woman and my answer may seem biased...
   
   I do not believe that women should be allowed in combat for a few reasons.  A woman cannot retrieve and carry a person of "average" body weight, which means she would not be able to save a fallen comrade.  A woman generally is in poorer physical shape than a man because physical requirements for women are a joke...they don't have to do the same number of repetitions of anything, carry the same weight, go the same distance, etc.
   
   With regard to the answer by flacoinohio, who said, "A well trained female soldier would be just as effective as an equally trained male soldier," that is absolutely NOT true.  A well trained MALE soldier can lift a 200-pound unconscious soldier out of a burning tank and carry him/her to safety (regardless of the distance)...while a well trained FEMALE soldier would NOT be able to get the unconscious soldier out of the burning tank, much less carry him/her anywhere even close to safety.
   
   If a woman can meet or exceed ALL the physical requirements that a man must meet in order to pass physical testing, ONLY THEN should she be considered for combat situations.

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4. 61

   AlinaNycoleposted 11 years ago

   flacoinohio:  I know this was three months ago, but I have to say something.  Your entire answer was nothing but a giant word crap.  Your very first sentence alone proved you have no business speaking a word about the military and the way it functions because you have no clue.  Females in the military ARE trained in how to defend ourselves in combat situations.  It's called BASIC TRAINING.  You know, that thing every soldier goes through?  Yeah, it's call basic because we learn the basics of army life, such as how to fire a weapon.  And Jessica Lynch?  She's your go-to?  The girl was a screw up.  She didn't fire her weapon because it jammed due to her not keeping it clean.  She was in the area because the idiot didn't pay attention to her land navigation class in---ahem--basic training and couldnt read a map.  On to your cons:  almost every male I have ever encountered in my military career has been respectful.  Can't let one bad apple color the whole basket.  Rape happens.  I can't really fault you for going there, other than to tell you that she could also get raped leaving a bar.  Her risk doesn't increase based on what kind of unit she's in.  Actually, if anything, I would say she'd be safer in an infantry unit due to the fact that her teammates would be extremely protective of her in that respect.  And since you don't know what you're talking about, let me just say that the men I have worked with (that includes being the first female medic to ever deploy with my Field Artillery unit)  have respected me.  They expected me to keep up with them, but they never sought to make fun of or belittle me.  I run a greater risk of that from the other females in the military than the males.  I just published a hub, you should check it out when it posts, minus the Jessica Lynch and training aspects, it gives some military female insight to the 'issues' you just posed.

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   1. 77

      flacoinohioposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Alyninycole I think you should read the comment again.  It does not indicate a lack of capability, it indicates a need for advanced training.  Basic training teaches nothing more than basic skills, primary occupation training enhances basic skills.

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   2. 77

      flacoinohioposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      My comment does not indicate women are incapable of holding combat arms duty positions. It indicates a need for adequate training & equal access to advanced training that I had access to as a male Infantry soldier. I look forward to reading your

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   3. 61

      AlinaNycoleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Any female who takes up a combat MOS will have access to the advanced training. I believe that most of us, including me, would be out of our depth in combat arms. Perhaps I was unintentionally projecting my thoughts on to you, and I apologize.

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