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Women Don’t Belong in Combat Units
Wall Street Journal ^ | January 13, 2019 | Heather Mac Donald

Posted on 01/14/2019 4:43:31 AM PST by reaganaut1

The Obama-era policy of integrating women into ground combat units is a misguided social experiment that threatens military readiness and wastes resources in the service of a political agenda. The next defense secretary should end it.

In September 2015 the Marine Corps released a study comparing the performance of gender-integrated and male-only infantry units in simulated combat. The all-male teams greatly outperformed the integrated teams, whether on shooting, surmounting obstacles or evacuating casualties. Female Marines were injured at more than six times the rate of men during preliminary training—unsurprising, since men’s higher testosterone levels produce stronger bones and muscles. Even the fittest women (which the study participants were) must work at maximal physical capacity when carrying a 100-pound pack or repeatedly loading heavy shells into a cannon.

Ignoring the Marine study, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter opened all combat roles to women in December 2015. Rather than requiring new female combat recruits to meet the same physical standards as men, the military began crafting “gender neutral” standards in the hope that more women would qualify. Previously, women had been admitted to noncombat specialties under lower strength and endurance requirements.

Only two women have passed the Marine Corps’s fabled infantry-officer training course out of the three dozen who have tried. Most wash out in the combat endurance test, administered on day one. Participants hike miles while carrying combat loads of 80 pounds or more, climb 20-foot ropes multiple times, and scale an 8-foot barrier. The purpose of the test is to ensure that officers can hump their own equipment and still arrive at a battleground mentally and physically capable of leading troops. Most female aspirants couldn’t pass the test, so the Marines changed it from a pass/fail requirement to an unscored exercise with no bearing on the candidate’s ultimate evaluation.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: heathermacdonald; marines; military; militarywomen; trumpdod; womenincombat
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To: \/\/ayne

When I was in the Army, I was part of the physical fitness training and testing team. I have never seen a woman outdo a man in all three areas of testing—push ups, sit ups, and 2 mile run. I have seen only one woman consistently outrun the men. But she was a champion runner in Spain before she came to the United States. And when I was in basic training and on road marches, it always required two women, at least, to carry the M-60 machine gun. One man can tackle that task. These social experiments are absurd and dangerous and a threat to national security.


21 posted on 01/14/2019 5:38:03 AM PST by dsat4life (Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty . . . who was, who is, and is to come!! Amen!)
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To: sparklite2

Since 1948, there were most no women in combat roles in Israel’s successful wars. Combat roles for women has been a political stunt in the last 20 years.

A minority of any military has direct combat roles. No need to compromise those units. Plenty of honorable military jobs for those less-suited to combat.


22 posted on 01/14/2019 5:39:49 AM PST by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
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To: rbg81

“But....but....when I watch movies these days, the women all kick the mens a$$es. How can that be>”

I’m not totally certain but I think that may come under the scientific heading of one hundred percent pure Bool Sheet.


23 posted on 01/14/2019 5:41:41 AM PST by RipSawyer
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To: \/\/ayne

Some have the same concerns about police & firefighters.


24 posted on 01/14/2019 5:54:27 AM PST by vietvet67
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To: reaganaut1

When I joined the USN in 1956 part of the reason was to ‘Get Away’ from mothers/girls/sissys/ and learn life from the ‘other side’ as most males in our lives had put out a VERY positive view of the Military.
Everyone wasn’t ‘expected’ to go to College - if you couldn’t ‘afford’ it or a scholarship, it was just a ‘dream’ and with the draft looming over ones head in a few years (I would have graduated at 17) it didn’t make much sense to ‘start a career’ then get drafted, leave for a couple of years then come back and start over again.

We had females but mostly in Admin/Medical-Dental fields and basically they ‘took up’ the shore billets.

Even when I went to the Pentagon in 62 the only women around (in MY office) were a few officers - I don’t remember any female Radiomen at the time.

‘We were the REAL Draft Dodgers’ according to Clinton and in an essence he was correct but not in truth/reality.

Also in 1956 or so, anyone caught with ‘hands’ where they didn’t belong, would surely face Brig time with a Dishonorable or Bad Conduct Discharge both of which could ‘ruin’ a persons life.

Like the old joke...
When I went in the Navy a homo and his/her actions were frowned upon,
then it was still ‘wrong’ but somewhat tolerable,
(still got kicked out but the stigma of a DD or BCD was removed as most got a General Discharge.)
So, ‘I’ got out before being a homo was MANDATORY.


25 posted on 01/14/2019 5:54:37 AM PST by xrmusn (6/98"Getting rich as a Politician means doing something illegal''(trunc) HS Truman)
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To: reaganaut1

When I joined the USN in 1956 part of the reason was to ‘Get Away’ from mothers/girls/sissys/ and learn life from the ‘other side’ as most males in our lives had put out a VERY positive view of the Military.
Everyone wasn’t ‘expected’ to go to College - if you couldn’t ‘afford’ it or a scholarship, it was just a ‘dream’ and with the draft looming over ones head in a few years (I would have graduated at 17) it didn’t make much sense to ‘start a career’ then get drafted, leave for a couple of years then come back and start over again.

We had females but mostly in Admin/Medical-Dental fields and basically they ‘took up’ the shore billets.

Even when I went to the Pentagon in 62 the only women around (in MY office) were a few officers - I don’t remember any female Radiomen at the time.

‘We were the REAL Draft Dodgers’ according to Clinton and in an essence he was correct but not in truth/reality.

Also in 1956 or so, anyone caught with ‘hands’ where they didn’t belong, would surely face Brig time with a Dishonorable or Bad Conduct Discharge both of which could ‘ruin’ a persons life.

Like the old joke...
When I went in the Navy a homo and his/her actions were frowned upon,
then it was still ‘wrong’ but somewhat tolerable,
(still got kicked out but the stigma of a DD or BCD was removed as most got a General Discharge.)
So, ‘I’ got out before being a homo was MANDATORY.


26 posted on 01/14/2019 5:55:23 AM PST by xrmusn (6/98"Getting rich as a Politician means doing something illegal''(trunc) HS Truman)
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To: dsat4life
When I was in the Army..

When I was in the Army, our PT test was the horizontal ladder, run-dodge-and-jump, inverted crawl, situps and 2-mile run in combat boots. This form of testing had to be eliminated, since no woman I knew in the service, then, could pass it. This was for combat arms, the women had a different test..

27 posted on 01/14/2019 6:03:22 AM PST by Thommas (The snout of the camel is in the tent..)
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To: reaganaut1

Duh.


28 posted on 01/14/2019 6:03:51 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn)
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To: kenmcg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eczjkeNPqBc


29 posted on 01/14/2019 6:11:52 AM PST by jaydubya2
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To: DoodleDawg
Kick out all the women and you’re going to need to recruit a lot more guys. Where are you going to get them when the military is already having problems attracting recruits.

I bet clearing out the women, fags, and trannies will cure some of the recruiting problems ...

30 posted on 01/14/2019 6:13:16 AM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: DoodleDawg
Kick out all the women and you’re going to need to recruit a lot more guys. Where are you going to get them when the military is already having problems attracting recruits.

If you kick out all the women, you won't have problems attracting recruits. An army that is serious enough about its work to have real standards at every level will attract men from all walks of life.

The additional advantage is the huge swath of personnel problems, double standards, irrelevant activities, intrigue, incompetence, lawsuits, and mind-boggling expense that would evaporate.

31 posted on 01/14/2019 6:14:11 AM PST by SamuraiScot (am)
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To: Elsie

That was after requirements were twice lowered.


32 posted on 01/14/2019 6:24:00 AM PST by afterhoursarmory
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To: reaganaut1

I spent a career in the Marine Infantry (0311/0369). I’m sure that there are a very small percentage of women that can physically do the requirements of the infantry. You have to ask yourself, is it worth turning the Marine infantry topsy turvey to accommodate a couple women who want to be grunts?

This also does not take into account throwing a woman into a platoon of 39 men, mostly under 22 and full of testosterone. What people on the outside may not quite understand is that a platoon has to live and sleep together and become very close. I wouldn’t want my daughters being in a platoon full of testosterone filled young marines. This is coming from one of those former young testosterone filled young Marines.


33 posted on 01/14/2019 6:39:04 AM PST by Old Teufel Hunden
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To: SamuraiScot

Bingo!


34 posted on 01/14/2019 6:46:26 AM PST by Gritty (Illegals voting and Democrat voter fraud are not problems to liberals.They are solutions.-KSchlicter)
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To: reaganaut1

Thank you for posting an important article that cannot be fully read unless you subscribe to the WSJ. I have been saying for several years women don’t belong in combat arms units or submarines any more than they belong in the NFL or MLB. It is a terrible left wing social experiment that refuses to take into account readiness and warfighting ability. I am extremely disappointed that Trump has not rescinded the order but with the Obama Generals that were around him, like Lap Dog Mattis, it is no wonder. Get rid of the policy NOW! (Retired Army Officer)


35 posted on 01/14/2019 7:27:39 AM PST by Midwesterner53
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To: sparklite2

Israel tried this experiment early in their history and it was an utter disaster.


36 posted on 01/14/2019 7:28:32 AM PST by Midwesterner53
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To: FreedomPoster

Inside scoop from Ft Beinning: Three women soldiers were GIVEN Ranger tabs to satisfy the Pentagon. The oldest, a 38 year old Army Major was so clearly unable to make the grade unassisted that she has been labeled “Mommy Ranger.” Every Ranger candidate, instructor and soldier at Ft Benning knew exactly what was happening but would have lost their careers had they said one word.


37 posted on 01/14/2019 7:33:52 AM PST by Midwesterner53
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To: Mr Ramsbotham

Not even that because the male soldier/Marine would have to do twice the work to cover for her not doing any work.


38 posted on 01/14/2019 7:34:40 AM PST by Midwesterner53
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To: vietvet67

Yep. A 100 pound woman cop out by herself out on remote highway at 3am is asking for trouble. Very bad situation.


39 posted on 01/14/2019 7:37:34 AM PST by Midwesterner53
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To: reaganaut1

Why, professional men’s sports in America are full of women. What is this? commie propaganda?


40 posted on 01/14/2019 7:43:32 AM PST by onedoug
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