So take out serving in the Army and Marines and what "vital role in our Armed Forces" is left? Only Navy and Air Force?
Women don't belong in combat.They don't belong there for a number of reasons,one involving the fact that a civilized,advanced nation like ours has more respect,or *should* have more respect,for womens' lives than mens'.Think "women and children first".
Another reason has to do with the basic,undeniable,unshakable differences between men and women.One of these differences "emotionality" (a word,I suspect,that doesn't even exist),would cause the "typical" woman to be less effective in combat than the "typical" man.I saw a documentary some years back that addressed that very subject.It went like this...two platoons of Marine recruits,one male,one female.These two platoons had just undergone the same training exercise earlier in the day..an exercise which,it appeared,was a *very* difficult and strenuous one.That evening the guys were interviewed about their day.They were clearly exhausted,sore and maybe even a bit dispirited but all promised that they weren't going to give in.The women were also interviewed...every one of them was weeping uncontrollably.With God as my judge what I say is true.
The difference I point out absolutely doesn't make women "inferior"...or "stupid"...or "worthless".It *does* mean that they're not as well suited to the pressures,dangers or horrors of combat as are men.
And BTW...I served in the Army (not the Marines) and was never ordered anywhere near combat.But I did experience more than a few difficult,lonely and frightening moments in BCT...but never once did I shed a single tear...let alone become overcome by tears.