[darrellmaurina]

Might be interesting to see what the people who think women can't meet military standards think of this 51-year-old with prior service in the Navy -- she did better on her PT than most of the people her son's age in her basic training company.

[fso301]

I thought the cutoff age was something like 39 unless a person had special skills like medical, legal, chaplain, etc??

[martin_fierro]

[Hot Tabasco]

51? Whassup with that? I tried to re-enlist in the Army back in 1991 during Desert storm. At the age of 40, the recruiter told me I was too old, that the cutoff age was 38 or 39, somewhere in that range.

[cripplecreek]

Despite the age gap, 1st Sgt. Byars said Coast was treated just like every other Soldier-in-training.

It depends on what that means. The daughter of one of my friends left the Marines in 2003 because she was disgusted with how differently the females were treated. She said that half of the female recruits who made it through basic training wouldn't have made it at all if they had been males.

[trailhkr1]

she did better on her PT than most of the people her son's age in her basic training company.

Age is really just a number anymore. My GF is 44 and she is in better shape than 98% of age 20 something women out there. She does 5-7 days per week of hardcore lifting and running.

[Mr Rogers]

She met the female standards. Good on her. But I’d bet I could kick her ass in a fight - and I’m 53 & retired.

At her age, she would max out the push-ups with 34. A 30 year old male would need 77. She could max out the 2 mile run with a time of 17:36 (8:48/mile). A 30 year old male would need to run the same distance in 13:18 (a 6:39 mile).

Want another try at proving your point?

[Future Snake Eater]

Might be interesting to see what the people who think women can't meet military standards

You obviously are unaware of the actual issues involved as well as how the Army scores its PT tests.

Try to make your point elsewhere--you won't succeed here.

[lefty-lie-spy]

Wow. Can I still joi. The reserves at 41? I’ve always wanted to enlist. I live in Tokyo now, but would love to join the reserves. If anyone knows if this is possible please let me know.

[2 DOGS]

my niece recently completed her basic training at Ft Sill. I was shocked to hear her say there were 3 or 4 in her group that were over 40.

[skaterboy]

military milf time....mmmmmmm

[G Larry]

As much credit as she deserves, this is actually a sad commentary on the dumbing down of the physical requirements for recruits.

I went through USAF basic in 1971 and it was not the most intense of the armed services.
Yet I doubt she could endure the standards required then.

[smokingfrog]

She’s going to be a virtual soldier in a virtual unit?

That’s something I’ve certainly never heard of before.

Good for her for following her dream.

[Dick Vomer]

this is a joke. The Army is becoming the TSA. yawn.

Had the "slapping" incident with female that yapped about her "open hand combat skills". I gladly grabbed her arm, took her to the ground and grappled till I almost choked her out. Got up, went into a "better stance" and then just started laughing. I let her grab my sleeve then just spun into her and back on the ground and back on her arm and neck.

I didn't even want to kill her...... which is what really would have happened if I'd had a knife or weapon.

I'm not saying that she wouldn't have shot me before I got a hold of her, but I'd put myself up to a nice 20 mile hump with full pack into the boonies and then just go at it after no sleep for a couple of days.

She's in legal, she'll be the one in charge of prosecuting the warriors. Her Power Point presentations have probably killed on 4 continents and I'm sure that her warrior ethos has a lot to do with having a vagina and the new PC armed forces.

Yeah, I'd be real f'ing proud to be in a unit where a 51 year old woman was ranked higher in PT than most of the men. oooorraaahhhh. bwahahahahaha.

I'll tell you one thing. If I was pulling patrol, I'd make sure she was point, since she's the most physically fit in the unit. I'd also make sure she was #1 when we'd breach and go clear a building.

I'll bet she'd just love that.

[smokingfrog]

She’s going to be a virtual soldier in a virtual unit?

That’s something I’ve certainly never heard of before.

Good for her for following her dream.

[Charles Henrickson]

From 1982 to 1993, Coast devoted her life to the U.S. Navy.

You'd think she would have joined the Coast Guard.

[fr_freak]

Coast said. “I cry pretty much every day. Not a lot because it’s not an Army thing to do I know, but it’s mind boggling to me how supportive strangers can be.”

I think pretty much all of us who have been in the service over the last 20 or 30 years have seen the dumbing down of standards that is going on. The fact that anyone would take a 51-year-old female seriously as a professional soldier is a testament to how much of a politically correct fantasy world we now live in. I realize that she is just going to be a paralegal, but she shouldn't be in uniform if she can't fight, and anyone who has done any real fighting knows she can't fight. And that goes for most of the rest of the younger women, too.

I've seen people on this thread make the all-too-common statement that "if she wants to serve her country, she should be able to" and I consider this kind of thinking to be just another part of the entitlement mentality that has infected this country. The standards of fitness should be made a joke because she wants to serve, rather than maintaining realistic standards because that is what is best for military readiness. Never mind what is best for the country - it's all about me, me, me, me.

[wardaddy]

so you have found one middle aged woman who passed BCT?

and that is grounds for what?

basing all our wartime strength policy?

lol...hilarious

I bet my 11 year old can deliver ammo boxes from the Humvee to the gunner all day and makes less of a target

let’s make an army of grade school runners shall we?

i mean why not..they can do it?

and think of all the homeless and fatherless kids in urban communities...it would give them a home and structure...they would be cute in their little uniforms

my wife can kick me pretty hard with her Tai Kwon Do brown belt and has loads of cardiac stamina...at 47...but I could still kill her quickly in hand to hand or with weaponry

it’s just how it is

but to be honest...looking around today at little skinny video gaming sissified sock capped Echo Boomer educate white boys who all look so queer...I can see why they fear women physically and think girls should fight wars for them

it’s understandable

fembots are a scourge no question...but sissied up peckerwood boys don’t help

[little jeremiah]

From, article:

---

Coast is also looking forward to her life in the Army Reserve. She said she enlisted hoping to work directly with active duty troops, but instead was attached to a reserve unit. On the plus side she will be able to work near her son’s reserve unit.

---

Also check out this info, and, btw, your comment “people who think women can’t meet military standards” is disingenuous. It’s not that simple.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2848172/posts?q=1&;page=209#209

[Kozel89]

Basic Combat Training is called “basic” for a reason. The reason it sounds so tough to non-military audiences is because you are taking civilians who may not be used to a rigorous and demanding lifestyle and introducing them to a basic (minimum level) military lifestyle. What you do after BCT determines whether you are true Combat Arms or Combat Support/Service Support (every Army needs a top notch tail)....and the duties and additional training you sign on for tells you how tough you really are, not some age/gender adjusted standards PT test....former 19D4X.

[PapaBear3625]

she did better on her PT than most of the people her son's age in her basic training company.

She may have gotten a great SCORE, but take a look at HOW the PT tests are scored.

A 20 year old guy has to do 71 pushups to get a 100%, while a 51 year old woman just has to do 34 (a 20 yo woman needs 42).

A 20yo guy needs to do a 2 mile run in 13:00, a 51 yo gets 100% with 17:36.

A 20 yo guy is expected to do 3 pull ups. A 20 yo girl is expected to be able to hang from the bar for 15 seconds.

If women were put through the tests to the exact same standards as the men, essentially no women would pass, which is why there are different standards.