Sgt Grit Marine Forums

"Military Leadership is the art of influincing and directing men in such a way as to gain their willing obedience, confidence, respect and loyal cooperation in order to accomplish the mission." 

That quote is right out of the book.  What the heck does that have to do with women in combat?  If you have not been there to walk the walk...how can you expect to talk the talk?

There will always be the appearance of a double standard.  If its not male vs female, it will be white vs any other race, NCO's vs non-NCos vs Officers.... whatever... oh and lets not forget Regular vs Reserve, there is another hot topic....  a spin can be put on any situation, but my question  at time is, why are women required to qualify with a weapon if we are never expected ( or allowed) to have to use those skills?  Crazy isnt it.

I still like my idea of an all-female light-infantry assault BN...I hereby volunteer to command it as long as I get to design the "uniforms" ...Something like THIS, perhaps:

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...my question  at time is, why are women required to qualify with a weapon if we are never expected ( or allowed) to have to use those skills?  Crazy isnt it.

I read somewhere that the tradition of allowing women in the military to train with wepons dates back when the horse was the common mode of transport.  Women were sometimes employed as mule skinners and just in case one of those critters needed to be "put out of their misery" it saved a lot of time that these ladies could dispatch the sick or lame horse / mule without having to bother a male soldier / Marine.

 Funny thing about that is I never fired on a target at point blank range shaped like a mule lying down. 

OK, I've stayed out of this so far but ... if the Corps and the other services deploy women out of CONUS they owe those service women the training to be able to defend thenselve.  That way the old FMF, and now the MEUs/MAGTFs, wouldn't have to assign combat forces for the force protection they would require.  While women can function at a low to low mid male physical range, in ground units not aviation, is it worth the extra whatevers that go along with mixed sex living/fighting conditions?  Is the 2-10% of the total force which is XX chromosomed that much of a force multiplier for those units which engage in direct combat?  I doubt it is so.  But, that being said the majority of US military, whether XY or XX, is heads and shoulders above the other nation's forces in the world.  Gaarontee!!  Semper Fidelis - Brothers and Sisters!!! 

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 Funny thing about that is I never fired on a target at point blank range shaped like a mule lying down. 

But I am assuming that you had the small arms training to be able to point and shoot if need be.