Posted on Aug 1, 2016
CPT Russell Pitre
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So now the SMA is asking for more women to step up and join combat arms. In this article the Army opened up 220,000 jobs for women. These must have been all the Combat Arms jobs in the Army but so far they have about 100 volunteers. It isn't looking too good for diversity. So much for fighting to open the flood gates. I think a garden hose would have sufficed.

I myself could think of a few reasons that those women in the military see and understand that these new soldiers coming into combat arms really don't. These new soldier don't really know or understand what they are getting into but then who really does. If you were to think about just the infantry you really don't need to look further than Ranger School and it's relation to promotion. Look at just about all of the leadership in the Infantry and you will see they are Tabbed. I can't really recall seeing any CSMs without one. So when they compete up against these guys for an SFC slot that are tabbed who do you think that is going to selected for promotion and good assignments?

In addition, I have seen what infantry go through in the field. Ask any OIF I vet about taking a shower. It was a luxury. Ask a Dog Faced soldier from the 3rd ID. We lived in our tracks in the dessert only to charge into Iraq to not take a shower for weeks. Do you think any of this could be affecting their decision?

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/2016/08/01/sma-army-needs-female-soldiers-step-up-combat-jobs/87931290/
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SGM Mikel Dawson
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Just because it's an open bar doesn't mean everyone wants to drink beer.

I'm guessing there are a lot of practical women out there who understand combat arms is not a back yard play ground. We have lots of women in the Services and I have served with and under the command of some really good women, but I really never looked at them as women, I looked at them as soldiers doing their jobs. Also got to keep in mind there are a lot of guys who'd never go combat arms.
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SGM Mikel Dawson
SGM Mikel Dawson
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LTC (Join to see) - Well they did, but this NCOIC thought he was going to be PC and have a female gunner, which would have been ok if she'd had time to qualify, fire and know the weapon system. Problem was I knew the soldier, knew she had fired one, but never qualified. I also knew we had no time for range. He'd taken the SAW away from a qualified 11B. Was a no go from the beginning.
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LTC Psychological Operations Officer
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SGM Mikel Dawson - thanks for the clarification. That's what hit me when I first read it, that the NCO would be just as hosed up had he selected a male soldier who had never qualified with the weapon either. As for being "politically correct" I wonder why the NCO would feel that way. In 2003, Bush was president, the country had war fever, and there was no big political push to move women into combat arms at that time. Sounds like the NCO was just fucked up on his own.
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LTC Psychological Operations Officer
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SGM Mikel Dawson - SGM Mikel Dawson - thanks for the clarification. That's what hit me when I first read it, that the NCO would be just as hosed up had he selected a male soldier who had never qualified with the weapon either. As for being "politically correct" I wonder why the NCO would feel that way. In 2003, Bush was president, the country had war fever, and there was no big political push to move women into combat arms at that time. Sounds like the NCO was just fucked up on his own.
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SGM Mikel Dawson
SGM Mikel Dawson
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LTC (Join to see) - There was a beginning of getting women behind the gun, if you know what I mean. We had some units who had Base Defense Liaison teams. These teams were made of 11B, 12B, 31B. One of the Cdrs was a little reluctant to put a female in the 31B position, but did. As we weren't a Combat unit, but a CS unit we had a mix of Combat Arms MOSs and Support MOSs. Thus came the getting a female behind a SAW.
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LTC Field Artillery Officer
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CPT Russell Pitre Because the wrong people were advocating for the opening up of combat MOS's. The numbers show it here if only 100 or so have volunteer. To me, it was all a political issue with people wanting to make their mark on a system that they are not directly affected by. Further, while I have absolutely no issue with women performing combat arms jobs, if they can meet the standards (which a lot of men fail to do), I do think this was "the needs of the few or one outweighing the needs of the many / whole." It should always be the other way around.
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CPT Russell Pitre
CPT Russell Pitre
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I agree with you. I'm glad you can concisely state that.
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CW3 Armament Technician
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Great response sir and I concur 100%.
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MSgt F 35 Weapons Requirements Manager
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I agree with you 100%.
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MSG Pat Colby
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So now the SMA is wanting to get more females in Combat Arms positions. I'm betting higher forces are steering him. Soon we will have studies that conclude that females deem the Infantry Schooling systems too tough. Then the further lowering of Standards will be in full swing. Of course, the spiral down the porcelain will have all of the current buzzwords like "Fairness" & "Inclusive". Those that argue against the lowering of Standards will be labeled as "Misogynous" and "Afraid of Change".
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MSG Pat Colby
MSG Pat Colby
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You fail any Phase twice and you go home. Unless you have LTC's as O/C's and Generals asking about your progress daily.
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Sgt Jamie Grippin
Sgt Jamie Grippin
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They made changes in the 80's so women could fly. Water survival standards were lowered because it suddenly became harder to drown so there was no reason for Sailors and Marines to to have to tread water for so long anymore.
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LTC Psychological Operations Officer
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MSG Pat Colby - all of your accusations, as I stated at the start, have been addressed and rebutted long ago. Did you hear the one about how the CG walked the women's graded patrol and changed an RI's grade from pass to fail? Never happened. Neither the CG nor CSM walked any graded patrol of any female student. Your recycle claim--false.

Here's an open letter from the RTB S3 and later XO addressing the rumors. But what he says upfront is correct. No matter what evidence they presented, people like you will never believe it

I'll stand with the integrity of all the Ranger NCOs and Officers who have stated there was no lowering of standards than some supossed anonymous RI claim.

http://www.stripes.com/news/army/ranger-school-official-combats-rumors-about-how-women-passed-training-1.363823
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MSG Pat Colby
MSG Pat Colby
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LTC (Join to see) - Did you hear the one about "No undue Command Influence", Sir? Yeah, it was validated by 2 LTC's, 3 EO Reps that worked around the clock and a half a gaggle of PAO that followed every movement and even camped right next to every Patrol Base. Hell, even the CG himself was on-site (with a different patrol) making sure that it was just another day in Ranger School because CG's walk patrols all the time..

Nothing to see here. Happens every class.

COLBY. OUT.
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