Posted on Mar 22, 2016
I'm curious if there are leaders out there that have genuine concerns about HOW to lead female Soldiers?
14.9K
64
54
10
10
0
Women in the Military
Combat Arms
Combat
Team Leader
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 29
0
0
0
MAJ (Join to see) I am glad to be long gone!
Are you implying that many leaders do not care about their Soldiers? When you start to make distinctions, you are rabble rousing!
l
If they did not care about their assigned Soldiers, they would not be leaders!
Most of the citizens of the world, our Soldiers and Non-Commissioned Officers do the absolute best they can with the tools and God given abilities presented them!
CSM Charles H Hayden, retired
Are you implying that many leaders do not care about their Soldiers? When you start to make distinctions, you are rabble rousing!
l
If they did not care about their assigned Soldiers, they would not be leaders!
Most of the citizens of the world, our Soldiers and Non-Commissioned Officers do the absolute best they can with the tools and God given abilities presented them!
CSM Charles H Hayden, retired
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
At the risk of being castigated and branded a misogynist, I have to ask the question. If women and men are equal, equally soldiers, equally capable of performing every job, interchangeable in every way, why should I have to learn a different method of leading female soldiers? Isn't that opposed to equality?
I've had plenty of female coworkers and female leaders. With a very few exceptions, I've had no trouble with any of them.
The one memorable exception was a female CPT in Kuwait in the opening days of the 2nd Gulf War. A seersucker missile passed by Camp Doha and struck a telephone pole outside a theater in Kuwait City. (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/03/29/sprj.irq.generals.shepperd/index.html?_s=PM:US) The captain in question almost went into hysterics, saying, "We're all going to die." I tried to get her to go to a shelter, put on on body armor, or whatever she wanted to do, but she wouldn't stop and wouldn't leave. Finally I said, "Ma'am, you are an officer and you need to set a better example for the enlisted men than saying we're going to die."
That's water long under the bridge, but is there some way as a 1SG I was supposed to lead this CPT differently?
I've had plenty of female coworkers and female leaders. With a very few exceptions, I've had no trouble with any of them.
The one memorable exception was a female CPT in Kuwait in the opening days of the 2nd Gulf War. A seersucker missile passed by Camp Doha and struck a telephone pole outside a theater in Kuwait City. (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/03/29/sprj.irq.generals.shepperd/index.html?_s=PM:US) The captain in question almost went into hysterics, saying, "We're all going to die." I tried to get her to go to a shelter, put on on body armor, or whatever she wanted to do, but she wouldn't stop and wouldn't leave. Finally I said, "Ma'am, you are an officer and you need to set a better example for the enlisted men than saying we're going to die."
That's water long under the bridge, but is there some way as a 1SG I was supposed to lead this CPT differently?
CNN.com - Shepperd: 'Not a small missile' in Kuwait attack - Mar. 29, 2003
(CNN) Kuwaiti officials believe it was an Iraqi Chinese-made Seersucker missile that struck a closed shopping mall in Kuwait City early Saturday, the first such hit on Kuwait in the war. Previous missiles had missed their targets or had been knocked from the sky by Patriot missiles. Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Don Shepperd, a CNN military analyst, discussed the missile hit in Kuwait and the systems designed to stop such attacks.
(0)
(0)
MSG James Crowell
I was in the first gulf war and out of 60 of us at the TOC when two A 10 did friendly fire on us I was the only one who tried to call them on the net to wave them off
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
My advice to commanders is that you do your part as a leader and insure that your soldiers (men and women) are properly trained, equipped and utilized according to their MOS and abilities. Apply the principal that you can not bash a head with an M-4 but with an AK.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Treat all the same. When you differentiate you run into problems. Female Sailors that worked for me did the same as male Sailors. Whether is was working parties, field day, classified burn (very hot and sweaty in a burn suit) painting fan rooms and passage ways or on loading SRBOC (chaff decoy, each 70lbs or so).
I can say the vast majority of female Sailors i had working for me felt the same way.
I can say the vast majority of female Sailors i had working for me felt the same way.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
It's too easy, lead them as a Soldier and nothing else. If a female chooses to join than they are a Soldier just like anyone else. I was a Drill Sergeant and know for a fact if you treat them as all I see is a uniform there are no problems...
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Coming from the enlisted Navy side, in a job that was predominantly male (90+%) and serving on two all male crew ships - I had never worked with a female service member until my 6 year mark, when I PCS'd to shore duty. I didn't think much of it at the time - as I related it to normal life...as a civilian, you will most likely be in a co-ed environment. When I transitioned to the Army and went to OCS - I had no real fear of leading women...as I treated them the same as their male counterparts.
I think if a "leader" has genuine concerns about how to lead female service members - then I'd question their leadership ability.
I think if a "leader" has genuine concerns about how to lead female service members - then I'd question their leadership ability.
(0)
(0)
I treat my female Soldiers the same as I do the male Soldiers........with no difference other than their respective biological functions and needs.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
I'm not sure exactly what it is that is being asked here... Am I missing something? Are there different techniques to leading female soldiers that I'm not aware of? Should I be treating my female soldiers differently? There is only one standard, and go deviate from that based on gender is just begging to have my three stripes reduced to just one.
(0)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
I'm not suggesting there are two different standards. I am merely asking if there are leaders that maybe encountering women for the first time in the work place that have concerns about how do handle particular situations (field hygiene, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc) there are some situations unique to women.
(1)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
MAJ (Join to see) - Oh ok. See that makes sense. I just read it wrong. I am actually quite educated on it, especially in field hygiene and ASU setup. I do disagree a little about the PT standards, but what males don't complain about it? Other than that, I hold both male and female soldiers to the same standard and expect the same work load out of each. My MOS is Stryker maintainer, which means less females. But as long as any soldier proves they're a team player, and actually tries at their job, then that's all I need.
(1)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
SSG John Wanczowski - there's no specific FM for females. But there is a booklet put out by AMEDD that is very helpful. Took me a bit to find it, and I had to contact my old NCO to have him give me the name. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://phc.amedd.army.mil/phc%2520resource%2520library/tg281finaljuly2010.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiLoY7P49bLAhUI1GMKHdmkD-MQFggbMAA&usg=AFQjCNEcOjw8hjwkrLHbli4RhPFCw3sYdA&sig2=8QcDDbaBgg7aAOu4DaKlZw
It provides additional information to supplement FM21-10 . FM 21-10 (Field Hygiene and Sanitation) says "soldiers should have access to a shower or bath every day, or at least once every week for good personal hygiene. Given mission constraints, if showers or baths are not available, washing daily with a wash cloth is advised."
It is highly recommended that female Soldiers that are menstruating during field exercises or deployments have daily access to bathing facilities. This does not mean that there must be a fixed facility with hot and cold running water. A private place with sufficient drainage should be adequate for a “bird bath.” "Female Soldiers who are not menstruating should be treated like male Soldiers with regard to accessing fixed shower facilities. Shower runs should be coordinated without gender preference influencing the frequency of the showers." However, medical conditions change this formula.
There should also be additional BN SOP for this.
It provides additional information to supplement FM21-10 . FM 21-10 (Field Hygiene and Sanitation) says "soldiers should have access to a shower or bath every day, or at least once every week for good personal hygiene. Given mission constraints, if showers or baths are not available, washing daily with a wash cloth is advised."
It is highly recommended that female Soldiers that are menstruating during field exercises or deployments have daily access to bathing facilities. This does not mean that there must be a fixed facility with hot and cold running water. A private place with sufficient drainage should be adequate for a “bird bath.” "Female Soldiers who are not menstruating should be treated like male Soldiers with regard to accessing fixed shower facilities. Shower runs should be coordinated without gender preference influencing the frequency of the showers." However, medical conditions change this formula.
There should also be additional BN SOP for this.
(0)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
SSG John Wanczowski - I honestly expected the same with the SF units when they were requesting female soldiers for search teams. I remember there being posters requesting females for the details. Somehow they made it work and those guys are more vulgar and dirty than the infantry units I've worked for.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google