[Orion78]

I respect women too. I would'nt like to see any POW's; male or female. When you join the military, you accept the consequences. If a woman choses to join the military and fight for her freedom (or for whatever reason), she should be allowed to do so.

[tjblair]

If a woman choses to join the military and fight for her freedom (or for whatever reason), she should be allowed to do so.

and to get there, she should have to go through(and pass) the same bootcamp as the men (period)

[CarolAnn]

I know a few tough old broads that would scare the bejeez out of Osama, but for the most part women are slower and weaker than men. The fighting ability of their units would be compromised and there would be far more casualties. The wants and needs of one gender cannot be favored over the defense of our country.

[this_ol_patriot]

If a woman choses to join the military and fight for her freedom (or for whatever reason), she should be allowed to do so.

Just so it's explained what an all male enemy can do to her if she is captured, that would include all forms of rape, mutilations, slavery and becoming pregnant with the enemies child.

There will be no special treatment beyond normal operations to recover her or bargain her back, as far as the military is concerned she is just another soldier. She must be able to meet all the requirements expected by males in the same job. No special rules or regulations will be put in place. She will eat, bathe and sleep where ever the soldier in the field does those things.

She must know that she may be called on to sneak up behind an enemy, grab him by the head pull out her knife and cut his throat, she will have to be able to shoot the enemy point blank without thought or hesitation, she will have blood and guts all over her when a mortar shell possibly kills the soldier next to her. She must be told that she can die.

She must also be told of the very important role women played on the homefront during past wars and that she may be more valuable at home than abroad. She must also be told that there are very important non-combat positions in the military for women which are just as important or even more important than a single soldier.

With these realizations and the many more horrors of war in mind, if she still thinks she wants to be a frontline soldier then more power to her.