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 6 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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I keep seeing comments about "the culture" doesn't allow women to be infantry- then change the culture. It won't happen overnight but perhaps if we changed the way women are viewed in society in general it could allow a change in military culture.
Maybe we don't separate boys and girls in sports in elementary and high school. Make it all coed. Or have coed teams available. Stop putting these gender stereotypes into society.
It's only been 3 years since women were allowed to apply to combat jobs. Three years...that's it. It took six + years for the Army to come up with a new PT test. It takes longer for other things - and yet people expect in 3 years to see results on this?
Having separate female combat MOS units isn't going to fix anything or solve any problems especially with culture. If you want to go that way what's then to stop from segregating the entire military and put females back into WAC or WAVES or any of that?
Maybe we don't separate boys and girls in sports in elementary and high school. Make it all coed. Or have coed teams available. Stop putting these gender stereotypes into society.
It's only been 3 years since women were allowed to apply to combat jobs. Three years...that's it. It took six + years for the Army to come up with a new PT test. It takes longer for other things - and yet people expect in 3 years to see results on this?
Having separate female combat MOS units isn't going to fix anything or solve any problems especially with culture. If you want to go that way what's then to stop from segregating the entire military and put females back into WAC or WAVES or any of that?
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MAJ Montgomery Granger
SFC, you do realize that men and women are different? Just because you want a gender neutral society doesn't mean it's going to happen. The vast majority of men and women are hard wired, and that's OK. As far as jobs, women are fully integrated into society, but some still prefer to separate themselves from men on competitive sport teams, fitness centers, gynecology and midwife practices, etc. And that's OK. I also believe it's OK for women to serve separately. Let them choose.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
MAJ Montgomery Granger - Omg are we? Really? I wasn't aware of this. Thank you so much for educating me. (Sarcasm - eye roll).
I wouldn't speak for women if I was you. You have no idea what you're speaking about. Very, very few want to be segregated. Very few.
I wouldn't speak for women if I was you. You have no idea what you're speaking about. Very, very few want to be segregated. Very few.
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