Panetta Opens Thousands of Combat Positions to Women

[Centurion40]

Food for thought: the current Joint Chiefs of Staff that has endorsed this does not contain a single infantryman.  Even the Commandant of the Marine Corps is an aviator.

:o

I should clarify that my look of shock comes from the thought that the top soldier is not a grunt! I just assumed that the top soldier would always be a grunt. Same with the Corps.

Yeah, we have different physical standards for women. That said, Infantry School is still Infantry School (AFAIK); one either makes the cut or one does not.

[bayonetbrant]

The reason I used NFL/NBA as an example is because those are two events in which woman have a distinct disadvantage in income.  The sport itself doesn't really matter.  Biathalon is still a segregated event in the Olympics, why? Because if it weren't the winnings would be dominated by men, not because they are better shots but because they are stronger and faster.  Understand I am talking in averages because that is what we have to deal with in the army.

I'm curious why no one has made a counterargument for the non-physical-related sports, then - why isn't Archery co-ed?
Interestingly, in a sport where pure physical ability is not at a premium (NASCAR/IndyCar) the performers are co-ed (Danica Patrick, among others)

[Airborne Rifles]

Yeah, we have different physical standards for women. That said, Infantry School is still Infantry School (AFAIK); one either makes the cut or one does not.

But the women make a different cut, I believe is what you are saying.

[Centurion40]

Yeah, we have different physical standards for women. That said, Infantry School is still Infantry School (AFAIK); one either makes the cut or one does not.


But the women make a different cut, I believe is what you are saying.

Correct, their physical standards to enter the Canadian Forces, along with annual testing are "lighter" than those same standards for me.  That being said, in Infantry School, they (AFAIK, I left the Infantry in 1981, they didn't let women into the Combat Arms when I went through Infantry School) carry same pack and weapons, they march the same routes, do the same PT, dig the same trenches, etc. as the men.  Also, AFAIK, few women are attracted to the infantry and even fewer graduate from Infantry School.  Honestly, I don't know how it works for them in a regiment today.  I've been out since 2006.  My last stint 1998-2006 was as a Cadet Intructor Cadre Officer, basically a glorified scout leader.  I was the CO of an Air Cadet Squadron on an Air Force Base in a navy town.  My only contact with the army was 100% POG, either other CIC officers, meatheads, supply, admin or comms.

FYI, we opened our Combat Arms (except submarines) to women in 1986, but it wasn't until 1989 that a woman made the grade and was assigned to a regular infantry regiment, as an infantryman.

http://www.forces.ca/en/page/women-92#milestones-2

[Longdan]

I was very young and quite fit when I went in in 1973 and I found the physical training regimen to be
very taxing.  You had to be in good shape to get in and several guys from my intake found it too hard.
I remember it being really quite miserable with constant physical work, hunger, thirst and lack of sleep.
Our NCO's repeatedly told us it was their job to send us home to our mommies.  Those who wanted to
quit got no second chance, no sympathetic interview... just escorted with their effects to the bus to
Halifax.  (We were at Cornwallis).  Things got more PC afterwards into the late 70's and 80's.

[bayonetbrant]

WASHINGTON, DC – In a surprise move sure to cause controversy in the military community, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has signed a memorandum authorizing men to join the United States Army's Adjutant General's Corps.

During a press conference regarding the latest change in policies dealing with gender equality in the armed forces, Panetta explained his decision.

"During this time of coming fiscal austerity, it is important that we are able to select the best personnel for the job, regardless of sex. I assure you, the standards we enforce for AG soldiers will not be relaxed in any way; our AG soldiers – whether male or female – will still need to be able to lift accordion folders above their heads, type at high speed, and deploy to the field at least once per enlistment period or every three years, whichever occurs first."

While most active duty service members greeted the announcement with little fanfare, 92% of AG soldiers polled expressed vehement disapproval of the decision. Captain Susan Brooks, the S1 of a logistics battalion in Korea, said, "This is utter bullshit. They say that they aren't going to be relaxing the standards, but can you seriously tell me that a male will be able to go line-by-line down a unit manning roster and ensure that all of the required information is correctly entered and in the proper format? They'll be running to the gym or Ruby Tuesday's after the first two hours."

Master Sergeant Emily Robinson, a G1 Non-commissioned Officer in Charge based in Texas, agreed.  "Some of these male NCOs have good troop leadership skills, but are you honestly telling me you can trust those Neanderthals to set up a division-level awards ceremony, prepare a script, and properly line up the personnel and awards so that the event goes flawlessly?  Maybe if there were grenades involved."

But males who aspire to join the AG Corps believe that they have what it takes to succeed in the formerly female-dominated branch. SGT Michael Westerly, a 13B artilleryman, has already put in paperwork to change his military occupational specialty to 42A (human resources specialist).

When asked about the backlash he may receive from his future co-workers, Westerly said, "I know a lot of females think that males can't handle the type of work we're required to do in an office environment, but I'm up to the task. Before I joined the Army, I temped as a secretary at an insurance agency for several months. I can type a good thirty or forty words a minute and I have a good basic knowledge of [Microsoft] Excel and Word.  While I might not be as good at that stuff as the females, I will work longer and harder to make up for any shortfall in my production."

This change in policy is only the latest that has fundamentally changed gender roles in the military. Earlier this year, Secretary Panetta decided to allow women into formerly male-only combat assignments and in 2010 he allowed men to serve in the Nurse Corps and Military Intelligence Corps.

hahahahaha
http://www.duffelblog.com/2013/02/panetta-signs-memo-authorizing-men-to-join-adjutant-general-corps/

[Airborne Rifles]

Nice.

[Martok]

As soon as I read that first sentence, I knew it had to be the Duffel Blog.  :) 

[Longdan]

Duffel Blog is real in our hearts.  :'(

[bayonetbrant]