Breathalyzer Tests

[Centurion40]

Thinning the herd is usually good if the forces of selection are designed to improve overall unit capability

It should be a good thing but we have never 'thinned' easily. The last time was in 91-93, we lost a lot of good people and kept some dead weight. Same thing happened after the Vietnam War & WW II.

It's the way of world, small "p" politics and all that.  >:(

[Smuckatelli]

Don't worry, they'll reduce the standards for females in order for them to measure-up!  ::)

Sumtin ain't be addin up here....

Okay, we are cutting back on the forces...personel cuts....check, understood.

Now we are also going to have deferments for pregnancies and a "career intermission program" for the parents to raise the child for the first three years. They will keep medical and exchange privileges during that time and "pick up" where they left off when they went on the "intermission" ???

Sooooooo in addition to cutting forces, we will retain non operational forces for up to three years and give them full benefits.......someone help me understand this.....

[son_of_montfort]

I understand the why, but given the conversation we had about the DoD and the budget, I'm not sure about the how.

Let me ask you something, how are the MC and Navy recruitment numbers? Do you think some of these initiatives are to get recruitment up by making it more of an attractive "job" options (i.e. you get maternity leave that is better than most civilian jobs)?

[LongBlade]

The females in Infantry Battalions......I'm not sure about that. I don't see them humping for 26 miles with 80 pound packs in eight hours.....

Don't worry, they'll reduce the standards for females in order for them to measure-up!  ::)

I will simply share this anecdote.

Several years ago my wife decided she would do the Avon 3 day walk for breast cancer. It was three days of walking 20 miles a day. Women would train for months to get in shape to do this - my wife did.

One of the walking teams had a husband who was in the army. He liked to walk with the girls...with his 60 pound ruck on his back. That seemed to amaze most of them.

I dunno how many women can or cannot carry a 60 or 80 pound load for 20 miles over the course of several days, but I say if they can, they're welcome to the job.

Just don't lower the standards. I may be fat and lazy, but I don't expect anyone to lower standards so my lazy ass can be accepted into a group that I'm not fit to serve with. Why should anyone else?

[Gusington]

The Wives (yours and mine) would make great Marines. They're probably too old though.

[LongBlade]

The Wives (yours and mine) would make great Marines. They're probably too old though.

Oh, no. My wife is no Marine. Her idea of roughing it is having to plug the curling iron in an outlet across the room.

[son_of_montfort]

Women have the potential to walk that distance and carry that rucksack. Let's not start sounding like Victorian England with that "fairer sex" stuff.  :P

[Smuckatelli]

I understand the why, but given the conversation we had about the DoD and the budget, I'm not sure about the how.

Let me ask you something, how are the MC and Navy recruitment numbers? Do you think some of these initiatives are to get recruitment up by making it more of an attractive "job" options (i.e. you get maternity leave that is better than most civilian jobs)?

I can't give an accurate guess on the Navy side of the house but specific to the Marines; we generally have no problems making our recruitment goals. The Marines push is on service, commitment, honor....not job opportunities, expeditionary, deploy with a moments notice.....

We need to have the drawdown, no arguement there but what ends up happening is some good and some bad get the boot. With the 'deferment' now you have a Marine locked into a duty station for at least 20-21 months. Someone will have to take her place when the unit gets called to deploy.

The intermission program is even more of a goat rope. We are talking about drawdown yet we will allow someone to take a three year break from the military, maintain health and PX priviliges and come back at the same point when the three years are over. In laymen's terms, the job is allocated to someone that isn't there to do the job and it can't be filled by someone else.....while cutting workers and not adding new employees.

[Smuckatelli]

Women have the potential to walk that distance and carry that rucksack. Let's not start sounding like Victorian England with that "fairer sex" stuff.  :P

Potential doesn't win battles.

[LongBlade]

Women have the potential to walk that distance and carry that rucksack. Let's not start sounding like Victorian England with that "fairer sex" stuff.  :P

Potential doesn't win battles.

+1. Let the carry the ruck. If they can, no big deal.

[son_of_montfort]

Women have the potential to walk that distance and carry that rucksack. Let's not start sounding like Victorian England with that "fairer sex" stuff.  :P

Potential doesn't win battles.

EDIT: Let me rephrase that.

I meant that they can rise to meet the expectations. There are no scientifically valid arguments that women cannot physically do this.

[Gusington]

I really think The Wife could have done it five years ago. She is an ass kicker and very strong both mentally and physically...she is not the average woman. It would have been a great to watch as a tv show!

Also, I too don't understand the idea of a draw down and budget cuts while having people deferred for up to three years and still getting the benefits. But this whole conversation could lead to a very slippery slope on cuts throughout the military.

The VA, for example, is totally bloated with billions of unnecessary spending but it will never see cuts, even ones considered reasonable.

[Martok]

The females in Infantry Battalions......I'm not sure about that. I don't see them humping for 26 miles with 80 pound packs in eight hours.....

Don't worry, they'll reduce the standards for females in order for them to measure-up!  ::)

This is what worries me, that the DoD might do exactly that. 

If not, however -- if female soldiers are held to the same standards as their male counterparts (and are able to meet said standards) -- I have no problem with it. 

Sumtin ain't be addin up here....

Okay, we are cutting back on the forces...personel cuts....check, understood.

Now we are also going to have deferments for pregnancies and a "career intermission program" for the parents to raise the child for the first three years. They will keep medical and exchange privileges during that time and "pick up" where they left off when they went on the "intermission" ???

Sooooooo in addition to cutting forces, we will retain non operational forces for up to three years and give them full benefits.......someone help me understand this.....

Bizarre.  I understand why they might want to do this, but from a practical standpoint, I don't see how it could really work. 

[Windigo]

Don't worry, they'll reduce the standards for females in order for them to measure-up!  ::)

Sumtin ain't be addin up here....

Okay, we are cutting back on the forces...personel cuts....check, understood.

Now we are also going to have deferments for pregnancies and a "career intermission program" for the parents to raise the child for the first three years. They will keep medical and exchange privileges during that time and "pick up" where they left off when they went on the "intermission" ???

Sooooooo in addition to cutting forces, we will retain non operational forces for up to three years and give them full benefits.......someone help me understand this.....

Its called the feminist agenda....   wake up...   it really isn't about equality, its about power

[Gusington]

There's still a feminist agenda?