We are moving closer - Ash Carter: Military Should Let Women Meet Standards for Combat Jobs.

COL Charles Williams — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 07:03:03 -0400

This is really all about opportunity.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Tuesday gave the clearest signal yet that he was preparing to lift restrictions on women in combat jobs and open up all military occupational specialties to those who can meet the standards.

Citing the example of the two female soldiers who recently completed Army Ranger School, Carter said, "When put to the test, not everyone, only a select few, will meet our standards of combat excellence. But no one needs to be barred from their chance to be tested."

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/09/01/carter-military-should-let-women-meet-standards-for-combat-jobs.html

Carter: Military Should Let Women Meet Standards for Combat Jobs

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said women should have the chance to meet the standards of combat jobs currently closed to them.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Sep 2 at 2015 8:32 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 08:32:57 -0400

Good for the women. I know they will be able to get the job done.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Sep 2 at 2015 9:12 AM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 09:12:16 -0400

like the title says: Let women meet the standards; not change them

Response by LTC Tom Jones made Apr 27 at 2016 12:42 PM

LTC Tom Jones — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 12:42:39 -0400

Female Major recently made the point that the Military is no longer a "boy's club." My thought is, boys might go to war but, once there, they grow up quickly and they do so in Squads and Platoons not clubs. The last time I woke up with night sweats was about two months ago and I'm from a much earlier era. Obviously, I don't know the science of it but intuitively I feel the more empathetic nature of the female would make them even more prone to this kind of lingering effect. To me, that's just one more consideration in the plethora of reasons why women should not be infantry soldiers. Other reasons include the data analysis done by the Army Research Institute (ARI) in earlier studies, the "on the record" opinion of SGM Lehew, the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer serving on the Marine Corps' "Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force" and the controversy surrounding the graduation of two females from Ranger School. I am in no way trying to denigrate the contributions of the females in our military. Their contributions, and their sacrifices (we have lost over 100 to combat actions in the Middle East vs the total of eight US females killed in theater during the entirety of the Vietnam War), have been extraordinary but, if I were in ground combat today, I would say to the ladies I very much need you at my six, not on point.