What is your advice for Females joining the ranks of the combat jobs in the Military?

on the rank line is a "add" link.

Hi Recruiter. If there are girls that want to fight in the front lines who are we, (guy's) to keep them out. But that means all the way. And being a girl and you get prisener be shure to know that being a girl they have a huge weapon to dammage the girl. They dont se the girl al a soldier the see that girl as a target, lust object. That sad they use rape as an act. Not crimminal only war relaten. That a discussion you have to be prepared for. That one is comming. Most of the combat is not in a city as Amsterdam or New York. Its mostly in the bush from a country that is ruled by ruthles systems unknown to western ideas.
It is posible to talk about is but preferably in prive mail. I have nonidea wher what i write is going to. In a mail i can mail it to a person.
You can mail me at
[login to see]

Trust in your NCO and your Chain of Support. As someone said you all wear the same uniform and will be trusted and treated as such.
As a 1sg told me once learn by doing, learn by making mistakes, take responsibilty for your mistakes, wear tough skin.
my last thought, from Gen Patton " I talk dirty, because i want it to stick and they will remember, i want them to fight for me , not kive me" (paraphrased )

I am against female in US Forces except on desk job.

My only concern is the effect on family life during training and deployments. Military life already has high divorce rates. The spouce at home may find this a hard pill to swallow and could potentially lead relationship issues. It is not the job that bothers me, it is the unintended consequences on families, real or preceived.

As long as you can handle the job. Go for it! You only live once. Have no regrets.

Think about what you are able to do. If you are sure you are able to do everything a man can do, go for it. If you question it at all, don't do it. War is not going to get any easier because you are a woman. In fact, given the current enemy, it will get harder!

I think you need to temper their expectations. It's won't be anything like Call of Duty and it most certainly is not glamorous. For the most part, it was the hardest job and hardest years of my life. I view everything now through the lens of my time as an 0311. I was never colder, hotter, hungrier, more miserable than as a grunt. Purposely obfuscating that will do them a disservice. They will have to wake up one day before dawn, after getting 30 minutes of sleep, in the rain and realize that someone, somewhere with a POG MOS will be sleeping in for another 2 hours and going to work for 8 hours. That person will go home at 1600 and sleep in their own bed. They will not have that option. And that POG makes exactly the same amount of money as you, and has a lower cutting score for promotion.

I also think you'll have to prepare them adequately for the challenges they'll be facing as they integrate. As the first one's through the door, so to speak, harassment and resentment will be present - no matter how well the Army/Marines say they've gotten that under control. They can complain and seek EEO assistance all day long when it happens but that's not guaranteed to stop it immediately. In fact, it might breed resentment. Better to have that clear in their minds than expect some miracle of equal opportunity and tolerance right away.

You should also prepare them in the event that some will fail. Infantry jobs have a higher failure rate than other MOS schools. Injuries are common; cellulitis, torn ligaments, busted ankles and back injuries are the norm. Not all Soldiers and Marines are cut out to be an 03 or 11 MOS, that's just reality. Women will be no exception - injury being their biggest threat since in sports women can be 2-3 times as likely to be injured: and Infantry is not a sport, there are no time outs in training. Infantry MOS's are no joke. When I went through in SOI 1990, guys regularly dropped out or were recycled due to injury or failure to train, etc. Some never made it back and had to find a different MOS - many times not of their exact choosing. They should understand that that is a possibility. In theory, the training will remain as hard as it always has been and they will have to meet the standards or be dropped. Right now there are no male and female standards in the infantry, hopefully there never will be. No one is going to hold their hand through or pass them because they were "close". In theory.

I had a number of female friends in the military I respected as I did my brothers and would go to war with them. That said, pick your brothers carefully they will protect you. When an Army Ranger decides psychotic that he wants you it will take one of us to defend you true story. Sad but true a female is no match for a psychotic spec opps operator unless they are also spec ops grade. Just be aware and know what your getting into.

My advice would be to be thick skinned. Don't take anything said to heart. All anyone is going to try and do is break you down. Just carry on about the mission and see it done. Doesn't matter if you are male, female, black, white, or Asian we are all soldiers and have a job to do. So just go out there and put your best foot forward and Complete the mission.