Women in Combat
Women in combat is an issue that I believe should be given a little more thought and attention. I personally feel that women should be allowed to be in ground combat operations if they desire to do so. I do not feel that it is fair to exclude someone from performing a job within the military simply due to their gender. I do feel that women who want to go to combat should be able to perform the same physical tasks as the men currently in those positions. This issue hits close to home for me since my husband served four years active duty in the Army and I myself was in ROTC during my first two years of college. During those two years I was on a very strict physical fitness program and was able to perform with the
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It should have more to do with the mutual trust and respect that is being created. I do however, agree with the sexual fraternization aspect. When you put men and women together it’s only a matter of time before our natural desires are acted upon. I feel this could cause problems for the men as well as for the women if allowed to be there with jealousy and resentment. Neither emotion would be good to have while on the battlefield. The soldiers need to have their mind fully on the task at hand.
The belief that women are incapable to meet the physical rigors necessary for ground combat has remained unchanged over the years even though evidence has been provided that proves otherwise. There are some military reports to show that some women have the upper body strength to meet the standards for combat. I believe it should be stated that there are women that are stronger than some men. Not all men are cut out to be in combat, but any man that wanted to do the job would be allowed to do so if he could meet the minimum physical standards. I don’t feel that is fair.
The ability for a women to become pregnant has been cited in Lucinda Joy Peach’s essay Women at War-The Ethics of Women in Combat [Part 2 of 7] as a reason for not allowing women into combat positions. Pregnancy cannot be predicted and can severely disrupt combat operations. The Army does not provide replacements for pregnant soldiers while they are temporarily off duty. This
ecretary Panetta 's decision to repeal the Department of Defense policy preventing women from serving in direct ground combat units opened Pandora 's box. We have since witnessed a fierce debate over whether women should be allowed to serve in specialties previously opened to males only. The media promptly rushed to side with those contending that all direct ground combat jobs should be open to women, suggesting that women proven had themselves on a "nonlinear" battlefield, where there were no distinguishable front and rear lines. Furthermore, many have rallied behind those women who have been able to demonstrate superior physical abilities, such as the two women soldiers that recently completed Ranger School. I would submit in line with the 1992 Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces that neither accomplishment demonstrates that these women or women in general are the "best-qualified and most capable" to serve in direct ground combat arms specialties. This issue is not about what women should be allowed to do, it 's really about what are they capable of doing. The bias is not institutional, the bias is physiological.
There are many different arguments from various feminist groups, politicians and even average Americans. Many of these individuals have never experienced day to day life in a war zone and generate their opinions based on social concepts developed in the safety of a free country. The primary argument I have against the integration of women in direct combat roles, are the physical characteristics of women verses men.
I will be researching a very high profile issue that our government and our citizens are debating vehemently, Should Women Be Allowed in Combat in the US Armed Forces? Women have be in combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan since September 11, 2001, and at least 88 of our mothers, daughter and sister have been brutally killed. (Ashley Fantz, CNN) Society has gone overboard when it comes to politically correctness. Men and women are not equal, equal means to be the same, identical. Men and women are totally not equal. I believe women should have equal pay for equal work, but to send our women to fight other men on the battlefield is ridiculous.
Historically, military service and fighting in combat have only been available to men, but recently there has been debate about women serving in military combat. In times of war in the United States, men have generally fought as soldiers while women in the
Through the deaths and the injuries, through the explosions and gunfire, through the heartache and brokenness, women have been serving in the military one way or another. Since the beginning of time, women have been fighting for their rights. They fought for their right to work, they fought for their right to vote, and they fought for their right to be in the military. Beginning in the Revolutionary War, women were allowed to join the military as nurses and support staff. Since then, they have gradually been able to do more tasks and jobs that the men do. Today, the conflict is whether or not women should be allowed to fight in military combat. The argument is controversial, and will more than likely be a never-ending debate.
Under the ground combat exclusion policy, it is stated that “Service members are eligible for all positions for which they are qualified, except that women shall be excluded from assignment” (McSally 1011). Along with the policy, there are certain other regulations and restrictions, such as how the physical component of the policy is restricted to males (McSally 1011). In an attempt to terminate the ground combat exclusion policy, a civil lawsuit was filed by Haring against the ground combat exclusion policy by arguing that it is “unconstitutional because the policy bats women from specific jobs based on their sex” (Dreazen 1). While this primarily affects women, it could impact the troop’s performance as a whole. Although the law remains to be in place today, it is not nearly as strict as it once was (Spencer A.15). Beginning in the 1970s, women who wanted to serve in the United States armed forces were separated from the military once they became pregnant (Murnane 1061). It wasn’t until the case of Crawford v. Cushman when the law was repealed because it violated the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause (Murnane 1061). As time has progressed, tension within majority of policies in place have loosened, but that doesn’t quite mean that they have become nonexistent.
Over the years the United States has grown to love each other as the way people are, especially women. Women have proven to be even stronger than what people expected them to be. You can see the strength, the courage, and the confidence they have gained. It has been discussed many years that women shouldn’t be allowed in combat for not being “strong enough”. Men have shown that they can be “manly” enough to do women or girl things, so why can’t women do “manly” things? If women feel like they can handle being on the frontline then we should respect their decision and allow them to go.
Women in combat in the military is described as qualified women who serve on the war front in battle like rangers, navy seal, air force, and marine corps infantry. The Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter ordered the military to open all combat positions for women on December 3, 2015 (Kamarck). The physical incapabilities, mental stress, and inadequate performance in unit cohesion supports my claim that women should not be allowed in combat.
Women have always served in the United States Military, since the beginning of the existence of the United States. I will make the argument, that women can and should be allowed to serve in combat roles, that are traditionally open for men only. Combat does not distinguish between the sexes. This is an important issue for everyone. The main reason, why women have never been allowed to be in combat roles, is because the sight of a wounded woman on the battle field makes for heart breaking image. It should not matter what the gender is, as long as they get the job done on the battlefield. The conventional ways of fighting a war, does not exist anymore. We all have a part, women and men. There is only one
In Molly M. Ginty’s article “Military Women: All Guts, No Glory” she explores the issue of women who serve in the army and them being included in combat with males, and the inequality they have been through serving in the U.S Armed Forces over numerous years. With new legislating, and there being new roles for females there is always going to be the debate if women should be in combat with men or not. For years’ women who would join the army were just nurses and secretaries, because of people thinking that they are not fit to be in battle. Even though they all go through the same training, the women were put in position to practically serve those who were in battle which were the men. So personally I do agree with women being able to serve
The topic of women in combat is an ongoing debate that is currently being argued in many places, commonly in the United States. Women in combat next to men and a free women combat are two different perspectives in which women in combat are defined by their gender. Women in combat will provide help to those men who are to attend a combat. A free-women combat, on the other hand, prevents women from dying during combat due to not being allowed in combat. Since Women aren’t able to be included in any job in the military and have a right to be equally treated like men in combat, it’ll be unfair to more people. Women should be given the same right as men out in battlefields because “women serving in the armed forces has not wavered as warfare has changed, a clear sign that the necessity of women serving in combat is recognized.” In addition, “several other countries outside the U.S. already have women serving on the front lines.” Lastly, “Combat is nothing new to our women in the military. Several women have already given their lives serving in combat.” Women have, over the years, worked hard to get awarded the choice towards their career. Although it prevents more deaths, it’s also a sexist matter. Any job in the military should be a choice for women, it’s their career after all and they can make their own decisions.
Since 1901, women have served in some form of the military, however, dating back to the American Revolution women have had an unofficial role. Women have had and will continue to have an important role in the military, the question is whether women should be allowed to occupy specific combat positions. Traditionally women have not been allowed in combat occupations, but recently these restrictions have been somewhat lifted, making certain occupations available to women. Despite the lift complications arise from women being in combat vocations and it’s not just because of the physical differences, there is also the increased risk of sexual assault. Due to the detrimental impact on the military, soldiers, and society, women should not
Women have played a tremendous role in many countries' armed forces from the past to the present. Women have thoroughly integrated into the armed forces; all positions in the armed forces should be fully accessible to women who can compete with men intellectually and physically.
Ninety percent of all military occupations in the military include all genders, but the top ten percent of roles are excluded to women. Women have already felt the misogyny with unequal pay and unfair treatment by men, now women have to face the discrimination for fighting for our country. Women should be able to serve in the front lines because it makes the military stronger as a whole with more diversity, women in other countries fight on the front lines and women have made significant contributions in the military so far.
I am in favor of equality for women, just not when it comes to women in combat. There have been women in society doing heroic things since the Revolutionary war. There have been brave women in war posing as men so they could fight. There are a select few women who could handle war and combat. The negative aspects of women in combat outweigh the positive. Women should not participate in military combat. However they may join the military and served in traditional roles such as nurses and office staff. The difference between men and women is women are physically weaker, they have vital personal needs, and they attract male troops.