Posted on 06/13/2012 3:41:24 PM PDT by kingattax
The United States Army is debating whether to admit women to Ranger School, its elite training program for young combat leaders.
Proponents argue this is to remove a final impediment to the careers of Army women. But the move would erode the unique Ranger ethos and culture—not to mention the program's rigorous physical requirements—harming its core mission of cultivating leaders willing to sacrifice everything for our nation.
The Army's 75th Ranger Regiment traces its roots back to World War II, when it won acclaim for penetrating deep behind Japanese lines. Founded in 1950, Ranger School teaches combat soldiers small-unit tactics and leadership under extreme duress. It pushes men harder than any other program in the Army's curriculum.
Competition to attend the course is fierce, with about 4,000 men eligible to attend each year. Only about half graduate. Of those, only 20% make it through without having to retake various phases.
For decades, completion of Ranger School has been the best indicator for determining which young men can handle the enormous responsibility of combat leadership
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I think you aren't playing with a full deck, and I don't think you made it through your full term of service.
I shall now leave you to your buddies to wax eloquent back and forth on how you really handed to some uppity woman who basically kicked your verbal ass.
I submit that they would agree with me. Shouldn't you at least have the (figurative) balls to ask. You have inherited or share their confidence, but not their skills. Of course, you did say firefights would scare the crap out of you, perhaps you are afraid of their judgement as well. A man would do it, this is an area a woman can compete equally, show them and ask.
I think one of them landed sideways on the deck in a ‘14 and is now with the fish. I think she was pushed into it beyond her capabilities.
Bravo Two Zero were SAS doing some of that "sneaky" stuff you like to tell us that you are so great at, the problem is that their packs weighed 209 pounds at the start of the mission and I can guarantee you that they left things behind that they dearly would have loved to take with them on the mission, like more ammo.
At 110 pounds, I doubt that you could have handled your 209 pound share of the gear.
Good luck on your journey.
Regards, Janey
My uncle trained me very well on how to take care of myself both physically and intellectually. All I grew up with were men. I have their mentality so to speak. I’m a tomboy’s tomboy. I don’t intentionally try to make people angry with what I say or do. It just happens. I’ve been here at Free Republic since 2005 and learned real quick how to be thick skinned. I’ve taken as much as I’ve given. I consider people here as friends and I enjoy a good give and take. I don’t intend to be mean or argumentative. People read things differently than how I write them. If they’ve been having a rough day they’ll read what I write one way that sounds pissy to them. Other times they’ll laugh it off. I like being here because I consider this place my home away from home. I’m on a lot of threads here especially Kathy From Alaska and her military thread. Anyway, the way I see it, today, no harm done, well for me at least. Hope all is well with you and that at least we’re FReeper friends.
Regards, Janey
Too true. One of my favorite authors on the SAS is Andy McNab. I’ve read four of his books. He told how it was going through SAS training. I’ve tried some of it up in our woods like map reading and finding my way, camping out overnight and stuff. Heck with that hand to hand.
Great reply.
I agree with the sentiment.
My only reason for recommending the thread to your relatives is so you get feedback from someone you can trust. It isn't anti-female dreams from my prospective but a look at some of your comments from a reality basis from men you know you can trust who have no axe to grind and appreciate your dreams. It will make you an even better person. "A man's got to know his limitations" same with women.
If it comes to that, it is hard to predict. And I say this as someone who lived under Romney administrations.
There is only Marine basic training, the Reserves do not have separate basic training schools.
Basic is 12 weeks long, after taking the man's basic training and naturally passing with flying colors, did you finish your full six years in the Marine Corp Reserves?
I am not belittling you, but I do NOT want you to get that chance and I will tell you why. Once they start letting women try out and all of them fail, then pressure will mount to lower standards to get some to pass.
Look at our present course to see that it is inevitable that “getting a woman to pass” will be pushed anyway possible to get it through. And the only way to ensure that happens is “to lower the standards”.
Now do you REALLY want to be responsible for this action? Are you that selfish? Because it will most likely get many people killed in the future.
I just want the opportunity to at least try it. If I fail I fail. But to be denied the opportunity is what is aggravating just because I’m female. There’s lots of other org’s like the forest service that has some kinds of physical standards but it’s nothing like the military. Just saying.
Again read what I wrote, your attempt will cause a snowball roll to lower standards and get good people killed. The powers that be will not sit by and watch all women fail and then not do something to “FIX” it.
You say you have brothers in the military. This effort could get them killed by having to rely on “less than Qualified” people working with them.
Seriously, look at the politics of it. Once they let them in, then some MUST PASS! And they will make it happen with lower standards. This isn’t idle speculation. It is the same way they did it with naval fliers and every other branch of the service.
Again read what I wrote, your attempt will cause a snowball roll to lower standards and get good people killed. The powers that be will not sit by and watch all women fail and then not do something to “FIX” it.
You say you have brothers in the military. This effort could get them killed by having to rely on “less than Qualified” people working with them.
Seriously, look at the politics of it. Once they let them in, then some MUST PASS! And they will make it happen with lower standards. This isn’t idle speculation. It is the same way they did it with naval fliers and every other branch of the service.
Many people believe that the Marine Corps is easier on women than it is on men. This is, in fact, a misconception. It is evident with a look around Parris Island that women in Marine recruit training have to train hard. Women and men are housed separately and train separately
It's not an easier ride for us.
A task such as carrying a MG twenty miles may not be part of the current curriculum when we have control of the sky and V-22’s to fly grunts and humvees to transport them from point A to point B.
But there may come a time when an enemy has wrested control of the sky from us and rendered our transportation by air or ground unsafe or non-existent, and carrying in your arms an MG of any make or model twenty miles may be the only way to either accomplish the mission or live to fight another day.
We won’t be fighting against entities with no air power, satellites, drones, smart weapons or offensive capabilities forever.
Regardless of how many technical goodies we have, direct combat still boils down to the most exhaustive physical activity anyone is likely to encounter in their lives. Even today.
I’m just saying I’d like to try it. I agree that women in hard bullet flying combat just isn’t it. It’s the physical standards I’d like to try for. There are non-military camps for guys to play soldier, none for women. I’d just like to see if I could hack it is all. But then, what’d happen if the US is invaded and they need all the people they can get. Would then tell us we couldn’t fight for our country? It’s just an idea.
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