Posted on Sep 26, 2018
Mattis: Jury is out on women succeeding in combat jobs
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Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is offering a dim view of females serving in infantry jobs, telling Virginia Military Institute students that the jury is out on whether women can succeed in combat.
My opinion is that if females in the military who are interested in combat arms were allowed to form their own units, design their own uniforms, equipment, weapons and supplies, they would grow into a fierce and effective fighting force. The biological and cultural differences for women in combat are too great for them to be effective in the male dominated culture of the infantry. Women have performed above and beyond expectations in Military Police roles, where the combat support mission is more favorable to integration.
My opinion is that if females in the military who are interested in combat arms were allowed to form their own units, design their own uniforms, equipment, weapons and supplies, they would grow into a fierce and effective fighting force. The biological and cultural differences for women in combat are too great for them to be effective in the male dominated culture of the infantry. Women have performed above and beyond expectations in Military Police roles, where the combat support mission is more favorable to integration.
Mattis: Jury is out on women succeeding in combat jobs
Posted from militarytimes.com
Women in the Military
Infantry
James Mattis
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
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I don't know where people are getting this description that secretary Mattis is offering a dim view. He literally said there is not enough data to come to a conclusion yet.
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SFC (Join to see)
You definitely have a point! I'm sure there is another headline in another newspaper that says Secretary of Defense Mattis positive on outcome for females in combat arms, with the same exact article LOL
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2LT (Join to see)
"There were about 125.9 million adult women in the United States in 2014." (Wikipedia, Demography of the United States)....There are currently about 150 women in infantry combat roles. About 15% of active duty military personnel is female.
I think we should just encourage more women to join.
I think we should just encourage more women to join.
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I'd agree with Mattis. The jury is still out. We have examples of them serving ably and with distinction in selected rolls such as snipers. But have we yet seen them in the cruelest form of combat, the melee?
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
I'd say there are male soldiers who the jury is still out on. You never know how someone is going to react or perform until they are in the sh*t. Remember, dripping wet when he enlisted, Audie Murphy weighed 112 pounds and stood a mere 5'5" tall. Yet, in combat he was unsurpassed. It's not the dog in the fight, it's the fight in the dog. Males and females are separated at around 12-13 years old for competitive sports. The best women athletes outperform most men. Military tasks are gender neutral, but the culture of the military is decidedly skewed toward the male gender. Given the opportunity to serve in all-female units, design their own uniforms, weapons, equipment and supplies, and train to task, I believe these units would be able to match or surpass the performance of all male units. One way to find out.
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CPT Jack Durish
MAJ Montgomery Granger - Good, damn good points, but still hypothetical. I guess we'll just have to wait for the jury of combat
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MAJ (Join to see)
I like the new Army PT standard, if you can't do a 90 pound sled drag probably don't belong in infantry.
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Major, you hit on the remedy for the issue of women in the military, one I’ve espousing for years. Since this discussion began years ago, the main theme has been all about EQUALITY. Everyone’s litmus test has been to plant a couple of women into squads or companies or battalions of men who, by in large, have trained and fought together for years. Wrong way to test equality. A real test, the only way to test this idea of gender equality has been to put women in their own squad, their own company, their own battalion. Train, work, fight as a team, their own team. Women officers, women enlisted. That is equality in its purest and most visible and most physical form. That will give us results that are accurate - clear, convincing, and unmistakable.
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MAJ Milan George
Wouldn't that be segregation? How long before one gender or the other complains that they aren't getting equal treatment? And you would have to change entire combat doctrines by injecting a radically different unit type that doesn't have the same capabilities as its male counterparts. Example, a rifle infantry squad is 9 Soldiers, while they aren't organized with heavy weapons they do have a SAW. Individual body armor with ammo, supplies and equipment will weight approximately 50lbs, then you throw rucks that way an additional 100lbs on their shoulders, how many women do you know would be able to keep up with their male counterparts? And i haven't even touched on the Machine or mortar sections. If one platoon is late hitting an objective it can cause the failure of entire operations. I'm all for everyone getting their fair shake and having the opportunity to chase their dreams, but the combat arms jobs within the Marine Corp and Army are not the place for social experimentation.
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CW5 (Join to see)
Well it worked in Russia with women pilots. Look up the Night Witches. They were segregated.
Israel has a Battalion with 70% women so its not segregated but a prestigious combat role unit comprised primarily by women.
Israel has a Battalion with 70% women so its not segregated but a prestigious combat role unit comprised primarily by women.
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