Women’s health can no longer be an afterthought in the military

Women’s health can no longer be an afterthought in the military

MY SAY: If you read this short article carefully you will realize what many women in the military have known or suspected from day one in basic training or deployment: Women's health needs are not a top priority. Being a former combat medic (5 years), and then Medical Service officer (17 years), first in combat arms and then medical and Military Police units, most of my career was spent in integrated (men & women) units. I worked closely with women in training and then in units as colleagues, subordinates and leaders. I find women to be capable and many times exceptional soldiers. But there is a big missing piece to the readiness factor in their wellness, as the article suggests, mental, emotional, musculoskeletal and biological health. The article doesn't spend a lot of time on solutions, however. I have made this argument before, and I am seeking thoughtful feedback in the context of women's health. The argument is, why not separate women from men in traditionally non-integrated MOS fields, where health and readiness are most critical? Yes, I am talking about combat arms. Other countries have done and do this regularly, and women can equal or out perform men in certain instances when grouped together instead of integrated. Combat support and combat service support units have been integrated somewhat successfully for nearly 50 years, and many of the issues mentioned in the article could be relatively easy to address based on mission availability of necessary resources. But field and combat units require a more comprehensive approach for maximum mission effectiveness. Necessary resources, including feminine supplies, equipment and support need to be on hand, ready to push when the female troops push. There are myriad complications to this in integrated units. A segregated unit would be able to meet the needs of all of its soldiers more effectively and efficiently. Put aside the arguments of fairness and equality for a moment, and then focus on EFFECTIVENESS and EFFICIENCY (E & E) toward MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT. If women were to design their own uniforms, equipment, weapons, supplies, etc., there would be no compromising E & E for social reasons not related to mission success. If mission success were the goal, it would be only NATURAL to separate women from men in the most challenging and demanding MOS categories, and therefore units. With a female chain of command there would be no friction to female related health issues. There would be reduced or eliminated sexual assault or harassment. There would be natural camaraderie. There would be a focus on READINESS. Less time lost to illness and injury. An ability to FOCUS on essential aspects of overall wellness. Self-care is essential for any military person, but is often overlooked. While a medic, medical platoon leader in combat arms units, I pushed leaders to emphasize the importance of personal first aid kits, and not just for buddy care, but for self-care. I made lists of items soldiers should always have on hand, which could reduce those nagging injuries and ill feelings and keep the soldier mission ready. I would encourage them to bring with them small supplies of over the counter items they use in every day cantonment life that could keep them in the field and ready to perform at optimal levels. This, not to eliminate the need for military medical care, but to put less stress on a medical care system most needed for urgent and emergency needs, especially in a field or combat environment. But all this early experience was with all male units. Once I got into integrated medical and Military Police Units, things changed. While serving at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,for the detainee mission in 2002, we had uniquely female health issues that took time and insight to resolve. Many females on the guard force were not eating or drinking properly, to the point where one female guard fainted and then fell out of a guard tower. The Army medical philosophy had always been in my combat arms experience, pushed out to the soldier. In the mostly Navy medical environment at Gitmo, it was, "If you don't feel well or get hurt, come see us." Marines are different because they travel with Navy Corpsmen. So I convinced the powers that be, that a roving Army medic or corpsman should be assigned to the guard force in order to observe and treat issues on the spot, like they would in combat or field environments. This helped tremendously! And as for the undernourished/hydrated females, we discovered that many said they were "trying to lose weight." Another mostly gender driven situation. I could go on, but I hope you get my point. It's not impossible to change and address these issues in a modern, integrated military. But it's been nearly 50 years, and if it's not where it needs to be now, maybe it's time to try something different and let military women have more control over their own health and wellness, which would result in improved and possibly optimal effectiveness and efficiency for mission success.