Posted on Apr 22, 2016
What is your advice for Females joining the ranks of the combat jobs in the Military?
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I am an Army Recruiter and it would be great to share.
As we gear up to ship out some of our first female Future Soldiers in combat jobs, I ask of the members of RP, what is your advice for these young soldiers?
Please keep it constructive and nothing along the lines of they shouldn't be able to serve in these positions because that ship has sailed and opinions about how they should not serve in these positions are not going to change anything.
Edit: The conversation among RP members about mentoring these service members is amazing. Honestly, I did not know what to expect when I started the thread, because this is a subject many feel strong about. Thank you so much for all of your advice thus far, I cannot wait to share it with our female and male recruits and hope you share it in your ranks/communities as well. Together we are molding the future of the military.
As we gear up to ship out some of our first female Future Soldiers in combat jobs, I ask of the members of RP, what is your advice for these young soldiers?
Please keep it constructive and nothing along the lines of they shouldn't be able to serve in these positions because that ship has sailed and opinions about how they should not serve in these positions are not going to change anything.
Edit: The conversation among RP members about mentoring these service members is amazing. Honestly, I did not know what to expect when I started the thread, because this is a subject many feel strong about. Thank you so much for all of your advice thus far, I cannot wait to share it with our female and male recruits and hope you share it in your ranks/communities as well. Together we are molding the future of the military.
Infantry
Combat
Training
Women in the Military
Combat Arms
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 403
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It's very simple. They MUST be in top physical shape, be able to do their combat jobs better, faster, be expert marksmen in their weapon system, subject matter experts in their field. Is this fair? Absolutely not, but it is reality. For them to have any credibility and gain respect and trust from their male counterparts, this is how it must be. They must be outstanding in every facet of the military. Their roles are very similar to that of Jackie Robinson breaking into Major League Baseball. They are going to have to take a lot of crap, not react to it, and lead by superb example,
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SSG Bethany Viglietta,
My advice to a Soldier is the same because gender does not and should not matter. As a former Recruiter I told all of my FS the same thing. They stepped into the greatest Army in the world and Drill Sergeants as well as leaders will expect them to Soldier. So irregardless of gender or MOS get in and get to work. If you apply the same information that you have shared with your male Soldiers to the female Soldiers they should be just as successful. As an accomplished SSG I can only assume that you have the correct advice to share, because you're a leader in our ranks that has expectations of her Soldiers no matter their background. Good Luck and continue to put them in boots!
My advice to a Soldier is the same because gender does not and should not matter. As a former Recruiter I told all of my FS the same thing. They stepped into the greatest Army in the world and Drill Sergeants as well as leaders will expect them to Soldier. So irregardless of gender or MOS get in and get to work. If you apply the same information that you have shared with your male Soldiers to the female Soldiers they should be just as successful. As an accomplished SSG I can only assume that you have the correct advice to share, because you're a leader in our ranks that has expectations of her Soldiers no matter their background. Good Luck and continue to put them in boots!
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I spent 11+ years in combat arms. In that time I saw less than 10 female soldiers. When I ETSed into the civilian world I honestly did not know how to react to having a female supervisor.
It took a couple of decades for me to realize that my attitude was sexist.
Times have changed, society has changed. It is time to move on.
My advice to these new recruits would be: Be ready for highly sexist language and attitudes. Generally speaking, combat arms NCOs know little about women beyond the fact that they have periods.
Once you have gained the respect and trust of the men, your career will skyrocket.
It took a couple of decades for me to realize that my attitude was sexist.
Times have changed, society has changed. It is time to move on.
My advice to these new recruits would be: Be ready for highly sexist language and attitudes. Generally speaking, combat arms NCOs know little about women beyond the fact that they have periods.
Once you have gained the respect and trust of the men, your career will skyrocket.
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They should know and understand that they are making history. They are doing something right now that some women have wanted to do since the birth of the Army!
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SSG Bethany Viglietta
SGT (Join to see) Thank you! It's true. Women went as far as disguising themselves as men to fight in the early years.
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People, GROW UP. War is so very ugly to people and rule of law. Men and women both are malested in war time. People become amimals and if you aren't prepaired for what may come in war, don't join the military. Foul things happen in peace time too and if you can't handle it do join up. Uncle Sam cares little about commom since or your feelings when you sign up to defend our way of life. he want's your silence and devotiont to duty. That's it in a nut shell.
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SSG Lobo Mar
Can you imagine if a lioness wants to take over a pride? Never happen. How about a she-alligator taking over a river in Africa? How about a she-hippo taking over a pond? How about a she- bald eagle going for the food instead of the male eagle? How about Rachel Maddow taking over for Anderson Cooper or Don Lemon in the CNN prime news. That will make history.
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TSgt James Carson
When women come back from combat so disfigured and suicides go up among their ranks, maybe then women may rethink all this PC stuff. reality is a tuff cookie.
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CPL James Ross
SSG Lobo Mar - ; ....... I still believe that Women in a Combat Zone is a stupid mistake for many reasons. However, the only thing that will put a stop to them trying will be the huge increase in the Body Count !!!!!!!
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Some of the men well 99 percent of them won't accept you as a true combat soldier until u prove yourself. It's not going to be easy. Good luck
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Be humble and just do it. Don't be that person. The one that is first in everything and wants people to know it. Don't try to be a pathfinder, just be a soldier. Just do your job like anyone else but be damn good at it. Whether or not you like it the truth is you are under and will be under a microscope for a while. Don't expect preferential treatment...not saying become one of the guys as you are not a guy but you can become one of the team by having the soldiers, to the left and right of you, back...ALL THE TIME. I promise you if you do that, they will have yours. Remember...when you are in the uniform they don't refer to you folks as Ms or Mr Sgt Gunch...just Sgt Gunch...thats it...Soldier first, female or male second. Get it done!!!
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LTC Betty Holm
Scott great comments and I could not agree with you more on all of your wise advice.
v/r
Betty
v/r
Betty
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Be mentally and physically tough before you request a combat assignment. What I loved the most about the first two female Ranger School graduates is that they dug in and did it - and that they received no special recognition when they graduated. They wear the Ranger tab like any other graduate of Ranger School. Know before you go that there may be some resistance, and ignore it.
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SSG Bethany Viglietta
CPT Leslie Chernell Thank you ma'am. I too appreciated their quiet professionalism.
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I think that it could lead to favortisim and more misconduct except for now it will be off base and in the field
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Direct them to some women who are involved in extreme backpacking. These ladies have been dealing with preparation issues that are simular to field or even combat conditions and may offer some good incite on preparing themselves.(i.e.. Hygiene, hair care, etc..) Other than that DS got it. Proud of any Ameican that steps up, Good luck ladies.
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SSG Bethany Viglietta
SSG (Join to see) Thank you for sharing! Extreme backpacking is a great place for them to find physical fitness mentors.
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