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

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.

If they are going to succeed they need more drive than their male counterparts. The first few groups of them will set the tone. If they are a bunch of quitters, whiners or try to quid pro quo their way up the ranks then this whole idea is screwed. They need to come in with the mentality that they have something to prove.

Additionally I wish that there would have been better vetting of the new female recruits. The first female tanker looks like she weighs a whopping 110 pounds. A can round weighs about the same as her. I think that a lot of these young women are being set up for failure.

Here it is if they want to see combat in a combat arms roll. Then they better never ask for help. That will just cast them as still weak in other soldiers eyes. They also need to understand this is no boys and girls club anymore. This is a soldiers club. So if a guy has to set a certain standard the so should they set the same standard.

There is going to be growing pains on both sides with introducing females into combat arms MOS's. The ones that will be respected in the end is the ones that have heart and passion for the Army, their unit, and the life style.
Remind these females that it will be a bumpy ride...

Get ready to carry the 240B

1) don't join because you think it's just like another MOS. each job is different with its own challenges. Combat arms tends to be the most brutal on the body over a long time.
2) if you want respect in these jobs demonstrate a willingness to learn, learn the skills with the goal of being the subject mater expert so other soldiers seek you out for the skills (this is a long term goal)
3) if you can demonstrate that you can preform any task you are given and even out preform even one or two of the male soldiers your peers and leaders will be more accepting because of your ability. Remember regardless of what papers and politicians say, over all, we recognize ability above all other factors. Also be versatile don't have just one thing you can do. I would rather have a female that can ruck shoot conduct cls operate a radio and can drive well, than a man who can shoot perfectly but can't realy do anything more. I could certainly build him up but with the former all I have to do is build on good foundation.