I’ll respond to that.
Women in Combat.
Over 80 years ago.. they got the right to vote.
Women’s Armed Services Integration Act (Public Law 625) on June 12, 1948, women officially could be in the military.
In 1993, Women were allowed to fly Combat Aircraft
The National Defense Authorization Act for the Fiscal Years 1992-1993, Congress rescinded female combat exemption laws and then the Clinton Administration opened a quarter million previously closed combat positions to women
Congress resended that in 1994, to limit women from Direct Combat.
Iraq/Afghanistan: (circa today). 115 Women have died in Iraq, 41 Women have died in Afghanistan. (though I can say for certain, only 61 total were combat related).
Women, (fact not fiction), today aren’t kept as ‘fragile’ and ‘desensitized’ by men as they were in the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s...
Women are in fact, more agile, faster and have keener observational skills than men. The 100lbs pack crap, is getting old.. on EVERY combat patrol, the most you carry is 35 to 50 lbs. If you carried a 100lbs pack in combat.. you’re lying. (unless you had a 60mm Mortar, plus Base Plate, plus Ammo all on 1 person).
Today’s Marine for instance:
Body Armor: 18-25 lbs
M4/M16:7-9 lbs
Ammo: averaging 6-15 lbs
Supplies/Rations/extra boots.etc.etc: averaging 8-15 lbs
w/radio: 9-15 lbs
Lets add that up: averaging 46-79 lbs (w/radio)
Quite a bit short of 100 lbs.
Women in Combat is a FACT. The rate of women enlisting in the armed services, has increased more and more each year.
WE ARE going to see more and more women in combat, and also attain combat roles. We need to increase the training, increase the skills required (observation, intuition, speed and agility) and not rely on sheer strength.
You can hate the fact that some women can out perform men, and debate it until the end of time... Its an eventuality, that ALL of us, are going to have to learn to adapt to.
Its here now... Its not going to go away..
Accept it, accept the fact that they are Protecting US.
But.. sadly.. we’ve grown up in a society that believes WE (men) are supposed to protect women, and many of US(men) cannot fathom there are women out there, fighting, injured and dying, protecting us. (whether its a Soldier or Marine, or a Police Officer)...
You can’t stop it. The best thing to do, is to come up with encouragement, and suggestions on better training, equipment and change yourself.... So my daughters can come home, safe and all in one piece.
SemperFi.