War stress heavier on women

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | May 8, 2005 | Cheryl Reed

[mike6181]

War stress heavier on women

May 8, 2005

BY CHERYL L. REED

Staff Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times

In a war marked by the most female troops ever to face daily combat, women service members appear to experience war differently from men, according to a Defense Department health questionnaire that tests the mental stability of half a million returning troops.

The post-deployment questionnaire -- the first health analysis administered during a war -- shows that serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars may have harmed women's health more than men's and that a greater percentage of women see wounded and dead bodies and report having nightmares. More men fired their weapons and felt they were in danger of being killed.

[mike6181]

This continues a discussion in a way, women in combat, but opens another aspect: Is there a higher price we asking women to pay? In this case, are we doing a bait and switch that said "No combat" on signing, yet subject them to horrors as bad or worse?

[Martin Tell]

Reminds me of the typical NY Times' headline, World Ends! Women and Minorities Hardest Hit.

[Arpege92]

LMAO

[joesnuffy]

Appeasing one group at the expense of the mission..any mission
is always stupid policy....and always has been.

[Dark Wing]

This is something that bears watching.

[Sacajaweau]

This deserves a big "Duh".

Hell, we have nightmares when our kids go to boyscout camp. My son told me he went "White water rafting"....after he got back. Said it saved me prayertime.

[CzarNicky]

Am I to understand men and women are, different?

[exDemMom]

a greater percentage of women see wounded and dead bodies and report having nightmares.

More women are nurses; should we stop having female nurses? I think it's the medical staff who will see the most in the way of wounded bodies; I wonder, if the percentages were compared just in the medical field, if it would just be the women affected. I haven't seen the survey, and so can't properly interpret it.

[nmh]

Duh!

Honestly! WHY is this a surprise?

Women are NOT men. They are wired differently and have NO business in combat positions. It's bad enough men are in them.

[Nick Danger]

Women should be spared the pain of death, according to new figures released today.

[trebb]

It's obvious that we need to change the way wars are waged so women can do the same job as men and not have to suffer for it. Maybe the U.N. can fix it for us. Or, maybe they can do it like Kerry did and do home video "recreations" of the deal and exercise full control over what they see and experience.

[nmh]

"Defense Department officials say the gap stems from the different roles women and men are still assigned to serve in war today, but soldiers point to differences between the sexes and a reluctance on the part of troops to be honest with the government."

Yeah you're supposed to believe that the sexes can be mixed and matched like furniture - that there are NO differences. LOL! Women pay a different price. Women are MORE emotional and the nurturer's. WHY is this so shocking?

[Coldwater Creek]

I would take it a step further and say that women have no place in the military period.We are a military family and have seen over and over the results.

[Raycpa]

If we gave a survey to a group of women and a group of men regarding whether they observed ANYTHING the poll would be the same result. About 50% of the guys would notice, while 75% (100%?) would notice. This poll simply supports women and men are different.

[CheneyChick]

It's amazing that they allow women to bear children. It's such a strenuous, physical task.

Maybe the women are just more honest in filling out the post-deployment paperwork....

[Coop]

Am I to understand men and women are, different?

Now just a cotton pickin' minute! Don't go jumping to conclusions here. We're going to need to commission another government study - or two - before we can start putting out ground-breaking theories.

[NTegraT]

Why is this news? Why is this a surprise? Men and women are different, thankfully.

[Skooz]

Cleanup on aisle 14.

Bring a large bucket.

[Smartaleck]

No doubt this is a socially and culturally induced reaction caused by the unfair paternalistic society they were raised in.

Accordingly, Sen.Hillary Clinton has introduced a bill to require all males to share their feelings and discuss matching sheets.