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What do you think of the impact of the "politically correct" sexually integrated armed forces? I know that even the USMC hasn't been immune from that.

I am not speaking from experience, but from what I have seen it has nearly destroyed shipboard morale in the Navy, and "Army of One" was quickly becoming a caricature of itself by the time Togo West left.

Any opinions?

I've been trying to figure out just exactly what it is about your drivel that gets my hackles up. I was never in the service, but I grew up very close to Camp Pendleton, USMC Base. When I was in high school, we always made fun of the jarheads, gyrenes, leathernecks...whatever the name of the day was. We used to make fun of their jacked up cars from South Dakota and Arkansas....we never gave them a break. I now have a best friend that has just retired as a Gunny and I am his oldest son's Godfather. I have had the pleasure of knowing many of his fellow Marines and have more respect for each and every one of them than anybody else I know. They are real men and very focused on their job. You seem to have some lack of respect for the Marines....why, I don't know. But you sure remind me of myself when I was in high school. I think perhaps you are the one that has some growing up to do.

What do you think of the impact of the "politically correct" sexually integrated armed forces? I know that even the USMC hasn't been immune from that.

I may not have a common view on this. Overall, I'm not opposed to a COMPLETE equality amongst all, regardless of race, sex, religion, etc. That's the full equal pay for equal work. Where I think it breaks down is that there is generally NOT an equality. Females have different physical fitness requirements. If a woman takes the same physical fitness test, does all the same exact training, and lugs the same weight pack for a forced march, then I have no problem with her being a rifleman.

The other problem, is our culture says we need to be nice to women, open doors for them, do the heavy work for them, protect them. It's this conflict between the two that really creates the problem, IMO. I even think that the majority of feminist activists want it both ways....they want the equal pay for equal work (which it should always be...especially in the corporate world, where there is some level of equal work!!!), but they also still want to be placed on a pedistal to some extent.

At least in terms of the combat arms (infantry, armor, artillery, etc), getting women into the front line troops will be very difficult.