Panetta opens combat roles to women

[Puremallace]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-sources-pan...-politics.html
Source: http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/0...men/?hpt=hp_c1

As the article says. Women can now fight on the front lines. This is pretty damn major if you ask me. Good idea?

The groundbreaking move recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units. Panetta's decision gives the military services until January 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women.

[lokithor]

Sure as long as she would have my back in a firefight. Would say some other stuff that would probably get me infracted lol

[Reg]

I'm still a bit iffy on this. While I believe in equality of the sexes, unless a woman can perform to the same EXACT standards, then they shouldn't be placed into these roles. It shouldn't be men have one standard and woman have another. I want to see a woman put a man up on her shoulders from dead weight and carry him.

[Deleted]

great .

[Reeve]

I'm still a bit iffy on this. While I believe in equality of the sexes, unless a woman can perform to the same EXACT standards, then they shouldn't be placed into these roles. It shouldn't be men have one standard and woman have another. I want to see a woman put a man up on her shoulders from dead weight and carry him.

I agree that I think it's good that they're getting rid of the arbitrary sex delineator, but they should certainly make sure that women in those roles meet the same standards as the men in those roles.

[Deleted]

I'm still a bit iffy on this. While I believe in equality of the sexes, unless a woman can perform to the same EXACT standards, then they shouldn't be placed into these roles. It shouldn't be men have one standard and woman have another. I want to see a woman put a man up on her shoulders from dead weight and carry him.

Dont see how they couldnt.

[Puremallace]

Dont see how they couldnt.

Think Israeli army gives enough data to prove they can serve just as effectively and clearly Starship troopers proves the UP SIDE!! Co-ed showers!!!

[Reeve]

Dont see how they couldnt.

Apparently the physical requirements tests in many militaries are different for men than they are for women. It's not fair to expect infantry units to bring people with them that may not be able to keep up.

That's not to say women are incapable of meeting those requirements. It's saying that the requirements should be the same.

[Lefrog]

I'm all for equality, and seeing the people in your unit go down is really tough either way, but I could see myself feeling worse for cute female going down >.<

With a lot of the modern technology, I have no doubt that a lot of woman can be on par on the front lines in terms of skill and the physicality needed.

[Deleted]

I agree that I think it's good that they're getting rid of the arbitrary sex delineator, but they should certainly make sure that women in those roles meet the same standards as the men in those roles.

I understand how someone would give a pretty woman a job in accounting or something, i doubt they would do the same for construction workers or a soldier

---------- Post added 2013-01-23 at 10:00 PM ----------

Apparently the physical requirements tests in many militaries are different for men than they are for women. It's not fair to expect infantry units to bring people with them that may not be able to keep up.

That's not to say women are incapable of meeting those requirements. It's saying that the requirements should be the same.

That sounds insanely dumb.

[Tinykong]

The standards for enlistment and combat readiness are going to be same for both genders...right? Right?

[Reeve]

I understand how someone would give a pretty woman a job in accounting or something, i doubt they would do the same for construction workers or a soldier

---------- Post added 2013-01-23 at 10:00 PM ----------



That sounds insanely dumb.

Which sounds dumb? That the requirements are different now? Or that they should be the same?

[Prokne]

I wonder how they will go about it, if it will be voluntary or if women will get sent to whatever role they qualify for. I could be off and that any position is voluntary but what Im getting at is, if your ASVAB score is so low that you only qualify to be a grunt or back lines admin(whatever you can do with a low score) will they send women to ether depending on need or will there be a choice? I cant really think of anything that should be sex specific so they should really just get rid of all those rules and make everyone equal. Equal chance at getting the good jobs and equal chance at getting the crappy ones.

[smelltheglove]

I'm still a bit iffy on this. While I believe in equality of the sexes, unless a woman can perform to the same EXACT standards, then they shouldn't be placed into these roles. It shouldn't be men have one standard and woman have another. I want to see a woman put a man up on her shoulders from dead weight and carry him.

i agree in principal... in practice one of 2 things typically happen. 1: they jack up the "required physical standard" to retarded strength, or 2: they go the other way by making the standard so weak for women that any woman could pass it. when i was in the navy they went with option 2. the females were required to do half as many pushups, which they were allowed to do from the knees instead of the toes. i dont like either of those 2 things being practiced for combat troops - in the navy the fitness regs were more or less a joke. i would hazard to guess that physical requirements are a bit more... sincere for combat troops. but deviating to an unnecessarily higher standard is disingenuous and unfair, while lowering it endangers other troops imo

[Deleted]

Which sounds dumb? That the requirements are different now? Or that they should be the same?

Obviously that they are different, damn .. what nutjobs could think otherwise XD
Remember thought, the requirements for most army roles aren't that tough anyway.

[Reeve]

Obviously that they are different, damn .. what nutjobs could think otherwise XD

They're around. Some were making that argument the last time we had this discussion on these forums.

[Deleted]

I assume fitness and standards will be equal as the males? At the moment female fitness standards are a joke in the Military.

[OnlineSamantha]

i agree in principal... in practice one of 2 things typically happen. 1: they jack up the "required physical standard" to retarded strength, or 2: they go the other way by making the standard so weak for women that any woman could pass it. when i was in the navy they went with option 2. the females were required to do half as many pushups, which they were allowed to do from the knees instead of the toes. i dont like either of those 2 things being practiced for combat troops - in the navy the fitness regs were more or less a joke. i would hazard to guess that physical requirements are a bit more... sincere for combat troops. but deviating to an unnecessarily higher standard is disingenuous and unfair, while lowering it endangers other troops imo

Which is why they should be held to the exact same standards as the males. It doesn't matter if they're not as strong naturally, a wounded soldier isn't gonna weigh less when it counts.

[Deleted]

Think Israeli army gives enough data to prove they can serve just as effectively and clearly Starship troopers proves the UP SIDE!! Co-ed showers!!!

They actually withdrew female combat troops from high risk areas.

[Prokne]

I agree that I think it's good that they're getting rid of the arbitrary sex delineator, but they should certainly make sure that women in those roles meet the same standards as the men in those roles.

Well as far as I know there arent any strength standards in the military. You dont have to be able to lift a certain weight to do anything. You only have to be able to run long distance, do st ups, push ups, and pull ups and besides the running and situps the rest are not as useful. So what you can do 100 push ups in 2 min, when are you ever going to have to push yourself off the ground using only your upper body more than a few times a minute? If the job requires a high level of fitness that is required for the job I have no problem with equal standards (like special forces) but for most combat units the physical standards are mostly used as an indicator of overall fitness.