Now with the Rules changing

[Racket_Man]

that will officially put women in more combat roles:

I give you the push for women to be included in the US Selective Service Registrations

Currently all males in the US (and I was one of them back about 35 years ago) are required to register with the Selective Service. This is a list of males maintained in case the military draft was reinstated.

[Nyoibo]

Couldn't load the article, but fair call.

[Ginger Tea]

I have wondered for many yesrs why the Armies of America and Britain would allow women to join if they were not letting them fight, iir Israil isn't squeamish about seeing dead women comming back from the field.

But as with WPC's female fire fighters and other at risk jobs, a thousand males could die and go unknoticed over a decade of statistics, but one woman dies and it's front page news on the Sun newspaper.
A WPC shot and killed in the late 80's in some Embasy thing she got a memorial plaque and people were saying "Oh it's no job for a woman." etc, same with fire fighters, it's a dangerous job, you may die, yet you may end up as poster girl in the "women should not be doing this" brigade.

The army in peace time (and peace keeping missions) is a different beast than during a war, but if you enlist, I expect you to kill and perhaps die for the cause (even if the public don't agree with said cause).
You may end up in Africa for the UN and be shot at by a child with a rifle larger than they are, I expect you to be the one walking away from that encounter alive, can't handle the thought of killing a child to save yourself or your platoon, don't join the army.
Don't belive in the cause being faught, resign your commission.

My dad told me to never join the army as he left with a sour taste in his mouth regarding his CO and others higher up than he, but we never begrudged what soldiers did when active, the first Iraqi war, AKA liberate the oil, I would have had a sour taste if I was a soldier as we were not really liberating the kuaties, just the oil rich lands they lived on.

But the sociopathic part of me says "hey you get to kill people and not be classed (legally) as a murderer".

I could not join the army even if I wanted to, due to god knows how many things wrong with my legs, but those that do, being male or femaile gay or straight, hell pre op transgendered in either direction, I do not care, you enlist, in my eyes that means that you will at some point have to kill or be killed (preferably not this one) if you cannot handle this out come, just don't enlist.

[wolfie]

Sounds like a repeat of one side of the Feminist movement in the late '60s and early '70s. On most issues, they tended to be on the left politically, but the draft was highly divisive - some were expressing the opinion "don't send ANYONE to Vietnam", while others were saying "If you're going to draft people for Vietnam, you should be drafting women as well as men".

[mikoyan29]

In the case of Israel and women in combat. Israel doesn't exactly have the luxury of being picky on who to accept and not accept for combat duty.

[Greenday]

The one thing I question is, how long before they lower the requirements for women to pass the PT tests to make a combat unit? I wouldn't want to get shot and the person that comes to drag me behind cover can't even move me a foot because they are too weak to do it. And when numbers are super low of women who actually pass the PT portion, they ARE going to lower it so it's not sexist and unfair.

Also, there's already a sexual assault problem in the military. What do you think happen to a couple women in a large group up soldiers/marines who are totally amped up on adrenaline and are already prone to violence? I'm not saying it'll happen in every unit but don't be too surprised or shocked when it happens.

[radiocerk]

Hopefully, with women no longer considered a second-class (now able to do any job they are physically capable of) they will become victims less often. And when women actually get into the higher ranks they were previously denied, due to a lack of "combat experience", people will be held more responsible for the sexual assault problems, and troublemakers will start being drummed out.

[HYHYBT]

Sounds like a repeat of one side of the Feminist movement in the late '60s and early '70s. On most issues, they tended to be on the left politically, but the draft was highly divisive - some were expressing the opinion "don't send ANYONE to Vietnam", while others were saying "If you're going to draft people for Vietnam, you should be drafting women as well as men".

Those aren't contradictory positions.

[crashhelmet]

The one thing I question is, how long before they lower the requirements for women to pass the PT tests to make a combat unit? I wouldn't want to get shot and the person that comes to drag me behind cover can't even move me a foot because they are too weak to do it. And when numbers are super low of women who actually pass the PT portion, they ARE going to lower it so it's not sexist and unfair.

Also, there's already a sexual assault problem in the military. What do you think happen to a couple women in a large group up soldiers/marines who are totally amped up on adrenaline and are already prone to violence? I'm not saying it'll happen in every unit but don't be too surprised or shocked when it happens.

Extremely valid points.

One of the reasons that women weren't allowed combat roles was the stereotype that they'd crumble under pressure. They only added to it by reducing their PT requirements to make it easier for them to pass. While you do have the occasional female that can keep up with the average, and even sometimes best males, it's too far and few between right now.

The only hope for the second point is that by upping their standards and hopefully building more of a cohesive unit, they will be seen as equals and not dressing.

[Greenday]

And when women actually get into the higher ranks they were previously denied, due to a lack of "combat experience", people will be held more responsible for the sexual assault problems, and troublemakers will start being drummed out.

I wonder if they are talking about NCOs or commissioned officers. Because we had a female 1SGT who oversaw the task force I was working for. My first OIC? He was a captain. He joined the same time as his wife. His wife got promoted to major before he did. Every female soldier I worked with personally was at least a Sergeant (Except for one who was a Naval lieutenant). While randomly around base, I saw plenty of women who were NCOs or were at least captains.

Now, are they talking about becoming generals? Because at that point, it's less of how good you are (Since you gotta be good to get to Colonel as it is) and more of who you know.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Personally I don't think anyone (male or female) should be drafted, especially in this era. The military currently meets and exceeds enlistment with volunteers, and have noted that draftees do not do well in the military.

Not everyone can handle that kind of environment (and I'm not just talking combat arms.)

So instead of saying "Well men have to do it, so should women" I say "NEITHER should have to do it."

[HYHYBT]

Personally I don't think anyone (male or female) should be drafted, especially in this era. The military currently meets and exceeds enlistment with volunteers, and have noted that draftees do not do well in the military.

Not everyone can handle that kind of environment (and I'm not just talking combat arms.)

So instead of saying "Well men have to do it, so should women" I say "NEITHER should have to do it."

And, indeed, neither men nor women ARE drafted. But should a time come when a draft becomes necessary, why should women not be registered?

[crashhelmet]

The worst part about the Selective Service Registration is that men can and will be denied financial aide if they fail to register. It has no bearing on women and they do not have anything similar to compare it to.

Hopefully this change in roles will add the requirement to make it equal on all fronts.

[Greenday]

The worst part about the Selective Service Registration is that men can and will be denied financial aide if they fail to register. It has no bearing on women and they do not have anything similar to compare it to.

Hopefully this change in roles will add the requirement to make it equal on all fronts.

Can't get a security clearance if you are a male, who was born in the US, has US citizenship, and aren't registered for Selective Service.

[Nekojin]

Can't get a security clearance if you are a male, who was born in the US, has US citizenship, and aren't registered for Selective Service.

...unless you're past the requisite age range.