Women in Combat
Global trend meets U.S. at front door; public debate on horizon.With the global trend including women in all military roles, the United States still struggles with the idea of allowing women in ground combat, a closely watched, timely subject.
Valkyrie, by author Lindsay McKenna, takes a realistic, in-depth look at how this might play out. Would it work? Whose against it? Are women capable of being ground soldiers next to their male counterparts?
The British Army has just undertaken a one-year trial of women in combat to find out if they can do it, joining a handful of other countries now allowing females in ground combat.
"I don't think the issue is women in combat but is equal opportunity," says Captain Barbara Wilson, United States Air Force retired, advocate for women in the military and founder of the "American Women in Uniform" website, http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb.
Currently, 15 percent of jobs in the military are off limits to women: ground combat and submarine duty.
Standards and training are often a subject of debate, making serving one's country gender biased. However, McKenna concedes that there is a certain type of woman that is prepared mentally, emotionally, and physically for ground combat.
The woman should be able to physically meet some type of standards requirements. McKenna suggests that the ideal woman would be 5'7", 130 pounds, medium to large boned, and able to carry weight. She should also enjoy physical activity and the outdoors.
Is ground combat for all women? McKenna says "no."
"Whether or not women go into combat, especially under a draft situation, should be determined by testing physical requirements and the desire of individual women," says McKenna. "Because of physical limitations, not all women are suited to combat."
"Women who currently want the opportunity to go into combat should not be denied."
Presently, U.S. military women cannot achieve certain ranks, such as some admiral or general positions, because they are not allowed to serve in combat assignments -- a needed requirement for these standings. Rank, instead, is based upon gender, not merit and ability.
Furthermore, women are not allowed the necessary training to prepare for combat situations. For example, men are allowed to go to war college, preparing them for combat strategy and tactics. Women are not.
Fueling the debate is the fact that U.S. women are already allowed in high-pressure, dangerous, and physical public roles, such as firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, and police. Women lose their lives in these positions, but are not allowed to serve their country in combat military roles.
To learn more about women in combat and the military, USA Today and The New York Times have many archived articles on the subject, and Wilson's website, http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb/, has comprehensive information and links.