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In reply to the discussion: On the Reality of Combat [View all]SQUEE
(1,315 posts)Last edited Thu Jan 24, 2013, 05:12 PM - Edit history (1)
But I am still bothered by the physical limitations that are a product of nature.
I am former 11B/C, and aside from the physical standards I have no problem serving with over or under a competent female Soldier.
But there are rigors of combat that most men can't or wont handle. Carrying your downed brother, and your own gear as well as weapon and being prepared to engage and evade simultaneously is a thing not even 25 percent of the male population is capable of. Even very fit and athletic females will strain at that, and these are women that spend long hours and food regimens to attain and keep that level of fitness, something hardly possible in the sandbox on a diet of MREs, and a degraded PT schedule. I was a '60 gunner so lets add 25 plus pounds of dead weight at the end of my arms, another 5-7 for my spare barrel, and LOTS of ammo.. we are starting to talk some serious weight and physical distress. And that is just my standard load out. over 75 lbs, on my back and arms. And to say well we wont have a female grunt fill a MG slot, is not rational or combat effective, if I go down, there has to be someone there to fill the slot, and if the nearest soldier is female, well boom congratulations you are now a Machine gunner.
Strip away all the propaganda and recruitment bullshit, and the layers of feel good nonsense and at its core, a grunt is there to kill people and break things, that is all he is for, and as hard as it is for many to understand, we become strangely comfortable with that, and celebrate it.
When I was in I would have grumbled and bitched, but when told to accept females in my unit I would have had to adapt, improvise and I would overcome and soldier on. But I dont believe I would ever trust that GI Jane would be as able to carry her weight as Joe would.
I think the best way to handle this is quit weighting CIBs Combat MOS time in combat over the necessary, and oft as dangerous work that many females do and excel at. MPs, Medics, many mechanic and trans jobs are in as much of the shit as a armor crewman is going to see, especially in terms of low intensity combat we are now engaged in.
I see women AH64 pilots as a good thing, or as bomber and fighter pilots. I think women should be allowed to attempt Ranger School as it is leadership development course and is a serious leg up to advancement. But I can not agree that Infantry is the right place.