Do you know about the all Female Cultural Support Team that served with SF and Rangers on the frontline in Afghanistan?

2015-10-06T06:17:16-04:00

We're hearing over and over about the women who recently graduated from Ranger school. We're hearing about the "possibility" of opening up positions for woman to be in positions on the frontline. It's a myth that women have not been serving in frontline positions for years. Have you ever heard of Dr. Mary Walker? She crossed the frontline during the Civil War. She is just one example. The women shown in this article are among women who are paving the way for others and giving them a base to build upon.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11906749/Afghanistan-Meet-the-American-women-who-fought-on-the-front-line.html?placement=CB1

Meet the women who fought on Afghanistan's front line before it was allowed

In 2011 a special female-only unit was deployed by the US Army to Afghanistan. Here Gayle Tzemach-Lemmon tells the story of how this band of sisters paved the way for women to fight on the front line

Response by PO1 John Miller made Oct 6 at 2015 7:07 AM

2015-10-06T07:07:05-04:00

I have heard of this and I do believe that our women are more than capable of not only serving in direct combat but doing it well and doing it better than a lot of men! Thanks for sharing.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2015 7:09 AM

2015-10-06T07:09:36-04:00

This is the kind of common sense approach that we need. Not a platform to subjugate women but to bring to light the abuses. CPT Private RallyPoint Member

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2015 7:55 AM

2015-10-06T07:55:21-04:00

Has there been documented instances that you are aware of where the Cultural Teams were engaged in direct action?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2015 1:56 PM

2015-10-06T13:56:18-04:00

Women who participated in FET Teams (Female Engagement Teams) in support of SF operations were heavily trained and went through a stringent selection process. In their final report, USASOC came to the conclusion that it was a mixed bag of results, with some successes. Much of the report contained commentary on missed opportunities to utilize the concept more effectively.
Soon after, it became a flavor of the month with conventional BCTs being encouraged to develop their own FETs out of their organic females in MI, Signal, Mechanic, Cooks, etc billets. This was an abject failure. They were neither well-trained not proficient in cultural engagement, and in my opinion did a lot more harm than good.

The point is not whether or not women can do a job. The point is that if we are going to employ women (or any Soldier, for that matter), they need to be qualified AND the best person for the job, not someone we throw out there to show how progressive we are.
FETs in Afghanistan had a lot of potential to positively affect the civil terrain, but Afghanistan's strictly gender-segregated population is a unusual and probably unique environment that is unlikely to be duplicated. We owe it to ourselves to learn lessons from the experience and do it better next time, if there is a next time.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Oct 6 at 2015 2:05 PM

2015-10-06T14:05:28-04:00

Great article! Just proves to all women....

Response by CSM Bill Roy made Oct 6 at 2015 2:25 PM

2015-10-06T14:25:23-04:00

Outstanding article

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Oct 6 at 2015 7:03 PM

2015-10-06T19:03:22-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Great post - thanks for sharing!

Response by SSG Jesus Sijalbo made Oct 7 at 2015 3:30 AM

2015-10-07T03:30:24-04:00

During my tours in Iraq and Afghanistan females were emmbeded with certain units due to the sensitivities of the culture barrier. The Iraqi and Afghan women were likely to be more comfortable dealing with female soldiers. If women are qualified and meets standards there is no limits to what they can do or be. Changing times and its a new military and thats the bottom lime!!! God Bless Us All.