Pentagon to Lift Ban on Women Serving in Combat

[Correction]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2535954.html

The changes, set to be announced Thursday by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, will not happen overnight. The services must now develop plans for allowing women to seek the combat positions, a senior military official said. Some jobs may open as soon as this year, while assessments for others, such as special operations forces, including Navy SEALS and the Army's Delta Force, may take longer. The services will have until January 2016 to make a case to that some positions should remain closed to women.

The groundbreaking move recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units.

Officials briefed The Associated Press on the changes on condition of anonymity so they could speak ahead of the official announcement.

In before 'unit cohesion' and 'men can't be around women without turning into lustful beasts.'

[Abandon]

They joined to fight? Let em.

[Salodin]

I don't disagree with the lustful aspect. This goes doubly so if one guy gets jealous cause she's giving then time of day to one person and not another.

[Churchill]

there is no woman in the history of the us military authorized to wear a 75th combat scroll and that will likely never change

[Ksandra]

I was on the fence trying to find the info I was looking for which was whether or not certain requirements for the positions would be lowered for woman because of physical differences. It wasn't flat out said, but it sounds like they will have the same requirements as men. If so, I am fine with it.


The article touched on the issues of drafts, and I don't think women should get drafted regardless of this.

[Pirian]

there is no woman in the history of the us military authorized to wear a 75th combat scroll and that will likely never change

[Abandon]

@ksan
and why the fuck not?

[Correction]

I was on the fence trying to find the info I was looking for which was whether or not certain requirements for the positions would be lowered for woman because of physical differences.

They cannot lower certain requirements for certain gruntwork since the gear all weighs the same and you'd be expected to carry a wounded man around if the need arises.

The real issue is how the official denial of combat work already done by women right fuckin now is holding back their promotions and careers within the military which is serious bullshit.

[Churchill]

They cannot lower certain requirements for certain gruntwork since the gear all weighs the same and you'd be expected to carry a wounded man around if the need arises.

The real issue is how the official denial of combat work already done by women right fuckin now is holding back their promotions and careers within the military which is serious bullshit.

what lol

[Ksandra]

@ksan
and why the fuck not?

which part? (woman needing same requirements or not being drafted)

They cannot lower certain requirements for certain gruntwork since the gear all weighs the same and you'd be expected to carry a wounded man around if the need arises.

The real issue is how the official denial of combat work already done by women right fuckin now is holding back their promotions and careers within the military which is serious bullshit.

forgive my ignorance, I remember talking a few years ago with a friend who was in the air force who said there were some things lowered for woman currently in the military. I think it was things like they had to do less push ups or some shit or w/e, but I honestly forgot (church or abandon could probably clarify). Which is why I was concerned. Reality is, lives are on the line for the military, if the woman can perform with the exact same level as a man, then I'm totally for it. But I don't think we should risk operations because of women who can't do the job as well.

[Churchill]

i don't think correction has any idea what he's talking about

[Ksandra]

Found the part I was talking about (in case anyone didn't know):

http://www.ehow.com/list_7485288_dif...women-men.html

Physical Requirements

Military members must meet and maintain the physical standards required for their selected branch. The physical standards typically vary for women and men. For example, the Army requires all members to pass its physical fitness test. Men between the ages of 22 and 26 must complete 75 push-ups and a two-mile run in less than 13 minutes along with 80 sit-ups for a perfect score, while women of the same age must complete 46 push-ups, run two miles in less than 15 minutes and 36 seconds and complete 80 sit-ups to maintain a perfect score on the fitness test.

[Correction]

i don't think correction has any idea what he's talking about

http://www.army.mil/article/52934/

The commission was established as part of the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act to evaluate and assess policies that provide opportunities for promotion and advancement of women and racial and ethnic minorities in the armed forces.

The 1994 combat exclusion policy, as written, precludes women from being "assigned" to ground combat units, but women have for years served in ground combat situations by serving in units deemed "attached" to ground units, Lyles said. That distinction keeps them from being recognized for their ground combat experience -- recognition that would enhance their chances for promotion, he said.

"If you look at today's battlefield, in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's not like it was in the Cold War, when we had a defined battlefield," Lyles said. "Women serve -- and they lead -- military security, military police units, air defense units, intelligence units -- all of which have to be right there with combat veterans in order to do the job appropriately."

Women serving in combat environments are being shot at, killed and maimed, Lyles said.

"But they're not getting the credit for being in combat arms," he said, "[and] that's important for their consideration for the most senior flag ranks -- three stars and four stars, primarily."

[Churchill]

womens physical standards are far lower, yes. if they made the standards equal and did a PT test with 3 months warning nearly all women would be kicked out of the military for failing to pass.

[Ksandra]

http://www.army.mil/article/52934/

I could be mistaken, but the woman that they are talking about still wouldn't be considered combat roles even after the reversal. I think it means like medics that follow the combat units, not that back-line fighters are going onto the front-lines even though they aren't supposed to.

[Ksandra]

womens physical standards are far lower, yes. if they made the standards equal and did a PT test with 3 months warning nearly all women would be kicked out of the military for failing to pass.

exactly why I don't think they should be on the front lines unless they can do it.

I dunno though if they are going to hold these women to men's standards for front lines or are they getting their own standards.

[noblemountain]

there is no woman in the history of the us military authorized to wear a 75th combat scroll and that will likely never change

The standards would have to be floored to the point that it really wouldn't matter anymore, don't think that will ever happen.

The real issue is how the official denial of combat work already done by women right fuckin now is holding back their promotions and careers within the military which is serious bullshit.

Half of the men who get credit for combat don't deserve it...this whole idea is just full of shit on a massive scale.

i don't think correction has any idea what he's talking about

^

[Churchill]

http://www.army.mil/article/52934/

lol

Okay so, here's what the article doesn't explicitly state and you're white knighting.

That article is specifically talking about women above the rank of Major, a field officer. The reason that they have trouble getting promoted past this rank is a matter of availability of positions and the fact that no one stays in the military past Major. Major is a battalion/brigade level officer, the next step up is Lieutenant Colonel, and in order to progress past this position you have to command a Battalion. There are only so many command slots, most of them are Infantry. After that command, you do staff work at Brigade, then you get promoted to Colonel. You then have to get a command, and then do staff work, rinse and repeat.

This effects so little of the military population that it isn't even worth mentioning, though I will address that in the enlisted ranks women are promoted much faster than men.

Enlisted combat jobs have a slower promotion rate than their support peers, and women are promoted faster than their peers even in the support world.

[Abandon]

sign em up for the draft is what i meant, ksan.
That promotion bit is horseshit, btw.

[Xno Kappa]

The real issue is how the official denial of combat work already done by women right fuckin now is holding back their promotions and careers within the military which is serious bullshit.

You're gender has absolutely no bearing on the promotion system.