Females Graduate Ranger School

[1911whore]

[gumby]

"Times they are a-changing " class 10-74, "black berets"

[BarrettM99]

I'm glad that they made it. As long as standards aren't altered, it's all good.

[epilepticninja]

Those are some hardcore chicks, West Point grads too boot.

[fritztkatt]

But females still haven't passed usmc IOC...

But that's none of my business...

[jrock]

Modern day fitness is amazing. Look at the crossfit ladies for example...
I think I saw a headline on drudge re: navy/buds was going to offer female tryouts.

[WASR10]

I think its great. If a woman soldier wants to fight with the elite and can pass muster, then it should be done!

So, about selective service...

[jcourson]

If a woman soldier wants to fight with the elite and can pass muster, then it should be done!

So, about selective service...

On the face of it, I agree with that wholeheartedly. It is when I start to consider the logistics that I get "iffy" about it.
Forward operating bases tend to be pretty austere environments, and it was always a huge hassle when females would come out with one of the support teams.
There was very limited living areas, especially for the transient personnel, which generally meant that an area meant for twenty Marines only had the 1 or 2 females in it while there were bed/space shortages for the rest.
Having to check the entire area to make sure a female wasn't present before you use a pee tube so you didn't offend anyone got old fast. Apparently wag bags were 'undignified' as well.
Hygiene is always an issue. Having to sometimes go 2 weeks without a shower is bad enough for guys. For females, it often results in a host of UTI issues.
And there is the ever present issue of pregnancy. Women get pregnant, and that is absolutely ok. However, women in non-combat related fields can generally still perform their jobs in one aspect or another, whereas a combat arms female would theoretically be unable to perform for the full 9 months (longer if she breastfeeds) not only due to the physical requirements, but exposure to lead / solvent tanks / and other whatever other no-no's that medical generally lists as off limits for them.

[Tacit Blue]

I don't think it's a good idea. In my previous unit I had female soldier and a NCO both whom were married constantly flirting with each other. They'd take their POV's and goto lunch, goto the bars together.

One time I was trying to talk to her ( non flirting manner) and the NCO got jealous and basically tried using his rank to interrupt to us and break us apart.

She caused alot of problems in our unit. (NCO's all the way up to the SGT Maj )I can't even imagine what would happen in a Infantry unit, you're supposed to be very tight with your boys. A female or group of females would cause that cohesion to break apart.

I'd recommend that they operate in a all female company.

[BoJackUSMC]

Combat zone where you can die anytime and anywhere...away from your love ones and female right next to you... humm... not good combination in my opinion.

[rero360]

All of these issues and problems everyone is talking about happening in the infantry if it goes coed I saw first hand in the MP unit I was with in Iraq and other problems. Coed combat arms is straight up a horrible idea that will cause nothing but problems.

[chris]

all of these concerns mean nothing to those who want to change our military.

[PA_Hunter]

What was never mentioned is they and the other females got the opportunity to observe/practice an entire 9 week course. Then they were authorize about 1.5-2years of TDY to prepare for the course. (of uninterrupted training) Now what? Will either be a platoon leader or company commander in an infantry unit? Nope, complete waste of time and money. The "nut hugging jelly fish" who support this "jackassery" are all about to retire and could care less about the problems mentioned.

[Ugly Hombre]

Don't care- a lot of money and time wasted making our armed forces PC.

What is the benifit over all- to the nation, that two females managed to pass the course?

Our rivals- potential enemies, have no time for such wasted energy.

We may learn that- to our regret in the future.

That's the way I feel about it.

"What was never mentioned is they and the other females got the opportunity to observe/practice an entire 9 week course. Then they were authorize about 1.5-2years of TDY to prepare for the course. (of uninterrupted training) Now what? Will either be a platoon leader or company commander in an infantry unit? Nope, complete waste of time and money. The "nut hugging jelly fish" who support this "jackassery" are all about to retire and could care less about the problems mentioned. "

Agree.

[Patermagnus]

I'm a vet and I still work with the military. I don't care who you're sleeping with or what's hanging between your legs as long as you're both competent and reliable. That said, we have enough scientific data regarding human performance that this drive to force equality in all areas should be a thing of the past. Unfortunately, it is not. The PC movement wants to force physical equality while ignoring the fact that men and women are not physically equal. Yes, some female Crossfit competitors are stronger than many men, but they are NOTHING compared to their male counterparts. You find the same disparity in just about every field of human performance, from swimming to running to Olympic lifting. And, yes, basketball.

The unavoidable truth is that, on average, women are both weaker and slower pound for pound. They also have a lower bone density and are thus subject to far-higher rates of stress fractures than their male counterparts, as has been documented by both the US Army and the IDF.

That said, I believe there is tremendous potential for female operators, just not always alongside their male counterparts. We should stop trying to fit square pegs in to round holes. They don't have to do the same jobs men do but they can still be significant contributors. Women can access places men cannot, particularly within CENTCOM. Reconnaissance and asset development within the female members of a target community or actually placing a competent female operator inside a facility where it's proven impossible to place an American male could be tremendously advantageous. Unfortunately, the ideologues in government are still too busy trying to force what they believe SHOULD be on us that they are missing what COULD be.