Posted on Apr 10, 2016
Should gender be a consideration for guard duty?
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Ok here is the situation: I am running a 11B ALC course and we got 5 soldiers attached to us from the finance BN and 2 of them are females. They have to rotate shifts for ammo guard. Since we are about to have the first female in the infantry is it wrong to have 1 female and 1 male do ammo guard.
Posted in these groups: 
Women in the Military
Infantry
Women in the Military Infantry
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 123
No it is not wrong at all. They are both soldiers. We need to stop treating females soldiers are a endanger species or high risk factor for our Risk Assessments. What I would do is ask a soldier in an MP unit the same question. They have been doing that for a quite a while. But if we can't trust a soldier not to attack another soldier than we are failing as a profession. I would also say the same thing if we fear that a female soldier is going to claim SHARP at the drop of the hat. If we just treat them as another soldier you may be surprised. I have always been infantry. I am now in a unit that has females in it due to being a training unit. I will say I would put her performance level above that of many soldiers I know. But as infantry so many fear what they don't know. In reality it shouldn't be an issue. I would just to be sure to put a responsible soldier on guard just as the same way as I would with male soldiers. I wouldn't want two PVTs guard ammo. I would like to see an NCO there. But all in all this isn't the first time a male and female soldier had to work togerther in a remote locaton.
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CPT (Join to see)
SFC Donald York - I see how you are coming from. We are always resistant with something we are unfamiliar with. This is no difference.
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SGT Chris Birkinbine
SFC Donald York - That is only an issue because our current culture allows it. That mentality needs to be worked out of our military, and it needs to start in Basic/Boot, and it needs to be continued and supported all the way up the chain.
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Even when I was in, females were pulling guard duty - so what's the problem now?
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SGT Jennifer Rixe
SGM Mikel Dawson - I agree with you. I pulled guard duty with a male soldier multiple times when I was deployed to Bosnia, just him and I alone on the perimeter for 12 hours; I also pulled guard duty with a mixed group of males and females. There were never any issues. I think the problem is that people are too scared of the consequences instead of trusting that the soldiers will do their jobs. Yes EO complaints happen but not all women are quick to jump to making accusations.
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SSG Bethany Viglietta
CSM Charles Hayden - It's the only way we will ever be seen as equals. anytime special accommodations are made for a female it sets us back. Not saying we should all shower together or change in same room, but short of that things should be the same.
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Absolutely not. Professionalism should be enforced and expected. There's a job to be done, and it will be.
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