Woman and the Infantry?

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 11:32:00 -0400

I feel like a lot of women are wanting to go to infantry school. Just to see the Combat but mainly to see a more equal Army. I know that now woman can go to Ranger school and even the Marines have a program for women. (Similar to the Infantry lifestyle I guess) they seem to do well but with unequal standards offered by the Army will it ever be possible to even consider allowing women to go to school to become 11B?

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Sep 10 at 2015 12:26 PM

SGT Michael Glenn — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 12:26:31 -0400

I have said this time and time again, so I guess one more time isnt gonna hurt ( I have experience people!!!) LOL..... I have no question that a female can and would do spectacular in a combat situation, having said that I DO NOT believe they should be in a combat arms MOS. Not for any chauvinist reason but simply because the males of this country are not ready for them nor do I think they ever will be ready. Men have always tried to protect females and maybe I stand alone on this but I just see a huge problem with being in a combat situation with a female and a bunch of males. 1st off the males will always be concerned about what the female is doing, if she is ok, needs anything, male hormones will dominate.. and when it comes down to a firefight I dont think most of you males could say that you wouldnt be trying to protect a female and not really concentrate on the mission at hand. No its not because I dont think females are up to it, I think the males arent up to it.

Response by SSG Kevin Kirby made Sep 10 at 2015 2:59 PM

SSG Kevin Kirby — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 14:59:46 -0400

Other countries have had woman in multiple roles for some time now, however our country is definitely not ready for it. Years ago maybe but we have become to soft the pc bullshit needs to go away and everyone offended by a simple comment needs to grow a thicker skin. Infantry is the "boys" club we are raunchy crude and offensive most woman will get offended then you will have great NCOs being reprimanded and not willing to reenlist

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 10 at 2015 4:22 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 10 Sep 2015 16:22:36 -0400

It's coming man, and that ball is already in motion. The big question is this: How can we make it an effective move? Because bringing in gender equality is great, but as long as they continue to separate the sexes, are we really equal? No. Because that mystery, and the carnal physical attraction will remain, which will subjugate the discipline and fraternity of the Infantry. And men are bred to protect the female of the species, which will compromise the mission because the female who went down can't live up to the standards of her male counterparts. And if they drop the standards for the women, then that gender separation will only widen. They are making this decision under the guise of "gender equality and equal opportunity," but in reality, is a PC move to shut people up about it. And it will take planting a Battalion size element of females before they ever realize that the decision is a bad one, and the changes will need to be made (no separation of gender, equal standards, etc.). Personally, I think the standards should remain the same unanimously. PT, height and weight, all of it. Same scale across the board. Then we will see who is really equal and who can actually handle the job.

Response by SP5 Patrick Rita Lovell made Sep 11 at 2015 8:21 AM

SP5 Patrick Rita Lovell — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 08:21:15 -0400

Sgt. Glenn, I have made this same argument for 25 years, along with some physical limitation that are rarely discussed;
1.) Long duration field situations can and will effect the health of female soldiers, ie urinary tract infections due to the horribly unhygienic conditions that we experience as Infantrymen
2.) I can guarantee that a woman on her cycle would be as easy to detect as a smoker lighting a cigarette...
I also do not agree that lowering standards can ever help a fighting force

Response by PFC Christopher Norvick made Oct 3 at 2015 6:39 PM

PFC Christopher Norvick — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 18:39:11 -0400

I'm not keen on the idea as of yet. While the women in Ranger school did exceptionally well, seeing as most guys drop RIP with a fail and these women repeated to completion, the Marine trial proved that women do not generally meet the physical demands of line units. Beyond thay, not many women do want the front line. After being stationed in Korea and seeing the female soldiers become "queen for a year" there the realization that women at the forefront would be disastrous hits me. A large group of testoterone addled men and a couple of women, not looking good for the ladies. Beyond that, those with more honorable intentions may very well find themselves in difficult situations being protectorate to these young ladies in combat and against their own battle buddies. While in eventuality as new generations of soldiers filtered in and replace it may work but that starting generation would be hell. The sexually oriented crimes, verbal and physical, would be through the roof as you ask guys used to being pervs talking to other guys to watch their mouths 24/7 because a woman just joined an infantry unit.