Necroing this thread. As soon as I finish high school I'm either enlisting in the Marines, or finally committing to delayed into delayed enlistment to BUD/S. For what that's worth.
I do not think women should serve in combat roles. I've thought a lot about this, and it is just a bad choice. First of all, these are fucked up people. My best friends, family, you name it that have served are damaged. And fucked up in some of their morals and decision making. Now you want to stick a couple of women into a barracks with these guys? It's a guarantee that because of this the sexual abuse and rape rates will increase dramatically.
And you have to do everything to the women you do to the men, and you have to have them eat, breathe, and shit together. If you don't, you don't build comradery. It makes the women outsiders, and if one of them gets shot in Iraq and is laying in the street bleeding out, who is going to risk their lives to them out? I know I wouldn't. You can bleed out or get double tapped, I'm going to complete the mission. And women's standards should be raised to that of the men for expected tests and PT, as well as mental and physical treatment.
The issue of what is going to be done to the women by the enemy has already been touched on more than accurately.
I absolutely do not want women in SF. Do not add additional factors to operations of the nature that SEALs, Rangers, Green Berets, MARSOC and the likes carry out. Fortunately, I cannot fathom women making the training requirements for something like the SEALs where there is a 96% attrition rate for absolute top of the line men. Goldfish and Ninj had great points, where are equal but not identical. If one does, then I give her props for being a BAMF but I still don't want her going on these types of operations.
Also, a policy for pregnancy needs to be put in place. If a women doesn't want to get deployed/redeployed and gets knocked up, now her platoon is down a soldier with a very important job. If multiple women follow suit, the company is fucked. Some sort of plan needs to enacted here because war sucks and many women will try and be sneaky to get out of it. Many men would too if they could, not trying to bad mouth women, but do not allo them to disadvantage their brethren because of fear.
And lastly, because I could rant on for days, the possible draft associated should never be allowed to go through. Not only is it retarded to force people into service, but I don't want Susan the beauty queen turned soccer mom covering my six and freezing up when a kid who kinda-sorta looks like her son has an AK pointed at the back of my head. Selfish I know, but I want her to be as prepared to kill for me as I am ready to kill for her. It's this way with men as well, as much as I love my best friend I would never willingly have him covering my back in a breach and clear. It's just exaggerated due to the natural and healthy differences between the make up of men and women.
I love women. I love equality and freedom, and any women certainly deserves it. I love it so much so that I'm willing to die for it. But keep women in the rear with the gear.
