do women have a place on the front lines (3 part)?

Question

are women an asset or a liability whilst fighting alongside fronline troops ?
can they endure the same pressures and trauma as their male colleagues, and are they more fearfull of the possible consequences should they be taken prisoner,i personally think it is a bad idea and places them in greater danger than other personnel, they can still act as a supporting role by going into defence rather than attack, i am NOT saying they are not capable and able to do the job so please do not think i am being sexist

Answer 1

Those women that are technically capable, are few and far between, and probably reveal a tendency towards masculinity. None of this is relevant, however, because men operate more effectively and efficiently when women are not present. Some men may want women there, but probably for the wrong reasons.



As part of a fighting machine, men bond around masculine qualities. These are diminished/ eliminated when females are present. The whole dynamic changes within any mixed group, when, instead of camaraderie and mutual support, you tend to find that men will NATURALLY compete with each other, and show a natural concern for the safety of female troops. This, of course, will be even more relevant when romantic relationships develop. Women, also, have a tendency to personalise issues more than men, which is more likely to lead to petty bickering and division. We have to remember that lives are at stake, it is not the same as a petty office argument. I often ask myself, what sort of women would want to be on the front line anyway? Do they have personal reasons for wanting to shoot at men. I have already stated that women tend to personalise things more than men. Is it a good thing to be fostering in the nations females? Again, strident feminists have got their way, when somebody should have stood up to them. Another point, perhaps, is that women have a tendency toward hormonal fluctuations, which affects mood.



I agree with the questioner, that they shouldn't be involved. In fact, I can't think of a single supporting reason. You have already made the point about the psychological stresses and strains and the fear of capture. I also think that it is in the nature of females to want to change any rule that doesn't suit them, and this may already have led to the lowering of standards to achieve entry into some of the elite forces. I also think that fathers who bring up there daughters up like boys, have a lot to answer for, in this regard.

Answer 2

It depends on how the lady was brought up. They can most likely take the same pressures and trauma, but when the bullets start flying, and women start becoming casualties, the male marines and soldiers will flock over and try to help, not fighting the enemies attacking. I think, and believe, not a fact, but if a female marine or soldier is taken prisoner, she could possibly be raped, tortured and then some.

Answer 3

I don't know if women will ever be allowed to serve in the infantry. My husband is an infantry soldier, I know a lot of what he does daily. I know there is no way I could carry all of the equipment that he is required to carry. Some of the men even have a hard time with it. There is a point I want to make though. Why is it when a male soldier is wounded and he is surrounded by his comrades to protect him it is heroic, but when it is a wounded female solider in the same situation it is percieved to be weakness to protect her? Until those types of stereotypes change, women will never be allowed in front line positions.

Answer 4

I'm currently in Afghanistan and I say if any American wants to serve there country and are physically and mentally able then they should have the right to choose what ever job they want. For those of you who think women can't handle combat I could introduce you to combat vets here with me right now. If trained like a warrior, your a warrior. I've seen many people over here, both sexes in support roles that couldn't handle the true combat. I've also met women who are MPs, Medics and helicopter pilots that the enemy should be very afraid of. In WWII many of Russia's best snipers were female and they even had female infantry. The saw combat and held their own against Germany's best, which was pretty darn good. The question you need to ask is: Could US fighting men handle women on the front line?

Answer 5

Only in Hollywood does it work, Men's attitudes would need to change first to allow woman on the front-line in first in combat roles, many female soldiers in support roles have found themselves in firefights and situations where they hold their own and even go beyond that to merit medals and recognition, so they can do the job. They would need to be accepted 100% as a team mate and not be overprotected by the rest of their sections or Platoons to be properly effective and pose no extra risk to a section.



Soldiers do worry about being sexually assaulted as prisoners of war and if anyone says this is rubbish then why did we discuss it so much before going to the Gulf the first time, even to the point of putting one in your own head than getting caught and buggered!

Answer 6

Well its a question of do women have the same to offer as a soldier as a man does. (The old we are all equal debate)



And by way of soldier I mean infantry, front line in the trench.



I think very few women in my experience have what it takes to be an infantry soldier, life is tough at the pointy end. Soldiers carry a huge amount of weight into battle, ammunition, food, weapon, body armour. The Royal Marines marched (Yomped) miles in the Falklands with over 100lbs on their backs, and when they got to were they where going they fought a battle. (Very very few women that I have met could carry 50lbs that distance never mind 100lbs)



Though women do serve in the front line in different roles, Royal Signals, Int Corps, Royal Logistics Corp and Royal Artillery to name a few. They do place themselves in danger mearly by serving in Iraq in Afghanistan and women cope with stress a lot better than men, we just get stressed and die at about 60, that why they out live us!



In summary they just don't have the physical make up, as a general rule, to carry out the role of a Para, Marine or Infantry soldier.

Answer 7

Every person who goes into the military takes an oath to defend the Country and the Constitution. I doesn't matter if they are man or woman, the front lines is for all service men and women.

Answer 8

Like the Marine's motto-The Few, The Proud. If a woman can prove that she can handle what guys goes through, then why not?! Let her show her will, determination & inner and physical strength to be able to fight the front lines firstly. I would protect any wounded fighter regardless of sex and race because they're eating the same crap with you. The bond is unimaginable opposed to civilian bonding.

Answer 9

women should be a part of the front line. if i were in battle it would be good to know there is a nurse willing ready and able to soothe my wounds and apply me with coffee, women have as much use in battle as the st johns ambulance or buddists. don't take my word for it, take the word of women who have won the george cross or purple heart

Answer 10

Women have been fighting for equality for years, so if they want to go to the front line and have the nerve to face the horrific sights, then they should, a lot of women can be stronger than men

Answer 11

Only a man would ask this. Women in actual fact have a higher pain threshold than men and are more able to adapt to poor conditions. If your concern over possible consequences is concerned with the risk of sexual assault, then men are just as easily subjected to this form of torture as women are!!!

Answer 12

They are a liability..

Would a platoon of male soldiers rather fight a platoon of male enemy soldiers or a platoon of female enemy soldiers ??

The males would rather fight the females of course because they would be much easier to defeat...

Therefore, every female added to the male platoon reduces its fighting effectiveness...

This is obvious in many sports...Football, Baseball, Basketball, soccer, Tennis, Golf, Boxing, WAR etc. etc..

Females lack the strength & agression of males...

Answer 13

HMMM yea but shouldnt it be the womans choice wether to do it or not, i will go and serve in the army at the star of next year but as for the front line i am making the decision not to so why cant a woman make the same choice as me.........

Answer 14

Yes of course they do.



In a modern society where labor is not divided along gender lines women of the right mettle should fight and die along side their male counterpart of the right mettle.



Rape is no worse than any other form of torture that can be visited on a solider during wartime.

Answer 15

anyone that wants to serve our country should be able to! there are plenty of men in this country that would have a really tough time with the military's standards. and all of them are fearful of being captured, woman or man makes no difference.

Answer 16

Please read my entire answer here and this link before judging;

http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=female+soldier+attrition+rate&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-500&x=wrt&u=www.du.edu/%7Eserose/Paper1.doc&w=female+soldier+attrition+rate&d=QwSnqyQ8NYpL&icp=1&.intl=us

Interesting question asked many times through the past with many fierce answers on both sides of the fence. Many, as you see, will find the mere asking of the question inherently sexist. I ask, since when did women stop finding pleasure in just being a woman? Why do so many women so fiercely argue this case, when none are in a combat arms field in the US military, so obviously and indisputably none can argue from a detached, dispassionate and reasonable perspective?

Also, you will always find them boasting this ridiculous wives tale of women being able to withstand a "higher threshold of pain", but there's never any VALID source cited, and any source of that information would be dubious. How is pain measured and why, when I'm in the field with women, is it only them whining? My personal experience; 1 out of 10 soldiers in a unit being female, 2 out of 3 on a "walking PT test" profile are female.

I was told that women marine recruits out shot male recruits on the M16 range. When I experienced differently with pistol and heavy weapons ranges in the field, the story changed to women fire better small caliber rifles. I was eventually never able to find a valid source for any claim of that sort. Also, before I left the USMC, the Commandant at that time, General Al Gray, wanted ALL Marines regardless of MOS or sex to undertake a 26 mile road march annually-I don't think it ever passed-and the one time I did see it happen in a marine unit, most of the female marines weasled their way out of the hike.

So, women in the US military are currently fulfilling roles in OIF and OEF that expose them to combat dangers, and it's not only Rangers and infantryman getting into firefights and ambushes and such. I've seen vets with the new Army combat action badge that probably saw more combat than some combat infantry badge wearing soldiers. But, this isn't the point. One of my points is, if women want to argue so strenuously that they can do the same job (which is neither here nor there to me) they need to put their money where their mouth is and get actively involved in changing policy so women can attend not just airborne or air assault school, but ranger, special forces selection, para-rescue, marine recon, sniper, BUDs/SEALs. Also along this line, it is not my responsibility as a male soldier to stick up for you and tell people you can do it-it's yours. This training needs to be completely unsegregated-they even have to sleep and shower in the exact same facility due to the training and op tempo. And, they need to do this without having a congretional inquiry over the guys "hazing" them differently like the gal at VMI. (Which is another whole argument-that first gal had full blown scholarships to other universities-why did she insist on attending VMI, an up till that time all male military institue). http://edition.cnn.com/US/9709/02/briefs/vmi.cadets/



My personal experience with women in the military; they CAN do what they set their minds to (just like anyone else). Too bad many just want to hook up, get knocked up, and get out. Frontline? They can't even get past a Defense Language Institue language course, an MI course, or a supply or admin course with out having (in my experience) about a 30+% drop rate (eventually) due to getting hurt or pregnant. The attrition rate of men, according to the source I cite (a woman, by the way who offers countless other sources) is lower.

If you're a woman and NOT in the military, don't even respond to this. If you're a woman IN the military, don't retort to this as if it is not fact-why are the physical fitness tests different if you want so much equality? My Army PT 2 mile run for 70% in the 37-41 year old age group is faster than that of an 18 female at 86%!!! Is it because you can't run as fast or do as many push ups or sit ups and female marines can't do pull ups-they get to do a flex arm hang which is (of course) supposedly more difficult? Whatever.



Until I actually see women spend three or so weeks with my group in the field hiking 45 lbs for 26+ miles, no shower, etc., I'll assume they just want TALK about being able to do the same thing I can. Believe in yourself so strongly? Don't talk-talk is cheap. Put your money where your mouth is. Get active in changing (not just griping about) policy and get your butt to the Q-course or the like, then I'll respect you more as a soldier. End of story.

Answer 17

You question isn't even valid. The US military doesn't allow women to serve in the infantry. Infantry is your "front lines" as you call it. They do however run supply, communication, and logistics. I'm not saying they couldn't, I'm just saying it isn't allowed.

Answer 18

Many women, I believe say they can handle it, but in actuality, they cannot handle the blood and gore which is a part of combat.

Most women are just not built to handle the stresses and effects of combat as well as men.You have your exceptions, but they are few and in between. This isn't discriminatory, it is just the way it is.

Answer 19

well if you thought they were just as capable as men then why would you think they shouldn't be on the front lines...you said it yourself, and that does make you sexist or at the very least a hypocrite.

Answer 20

IMHO, there should be all female and all male units. The females want equality, then they should have to fight and die like the men.

Answer 21

i thought you were being sexist untill i read the end of your qustion yes they do and can fight for there country

Answer 22

Yes they do. This question is inherently sexist, even though I'm confident that this is not your intention.

Answer 23

why should women go to the front line when its men that start the wars

Answer 24

you want true equality then you have the right to die just like a man

Answer 25

nope



women arent strong, fit or aggressive enough.



they have no place on the front line.

Answer 26

Well its up to her..now..woman want join Military they know what their getting into...