Women in the military

[dacjohns]

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Yes.

They have every right to serve. Why shouldn't they serve?



Your question is too simplistic. It does not address the issues of serving in combat zones, in combat, in combat arms units, or any of the primary reasons used for women not serving.

Maybe I will see this clarified as I read the thread.

For a research paper you might want to produce a more detailed questionaire that people can reply to. You might also want to consider the background of the people answering this question.

What grade level and class is this for?

 

[dacjohns]

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Do you have your aircraft mixed up? When I was in an Apache was a two seater attack helicopter that required two rated pilots, one sat behind the other. There was no place for a door gunner. Maybe she is an Apache mechanic that gets to ride on Blackhawks or maybe she is a Blackhawk mechanic that gets to ride on Blackhawks or maybe she is a Blackhawk crew chief. Sorry Boyd but I get picky about some details. I yell at movies when they botch military things up.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Very few of the guys I see around here enlisting are doing it for "patriotism". Most seem to see it as a career path when they have few other options. The kid across the way would join up, if he'd finish his GED. No high school diploma, no GED, no training, and a low paying job with no prospects has this kid looking at the military as a place to get training, and get out with a better prospect than he has now. His younger brother is in jr ROTC, but is not officer material. He will join up for much the same reasons, but he will be graduating highschool, probably two years late, so has a heads up on his brother.

My kids are somewhat military obsessed, but I also know their personalities. The only way my older son could manage the military would be as an officer candidate. He may have an idea of patriotism, but the idea of guns and glory is the main driver for him. Admittedly he is only 13.

With an all volunteer military you are going to have millions of reasons for joining, for both men and women. I see many ads on the TV specifically targeting young women for military recruitment. I suspect most of them join for the same reasons young men do.

Chickened, you keep beating around the bush about the reason you or your pyschologist friend say are reasons for women to join the military. Spell it out, or don't say it at all, your "wink, wink, nudge, nudge, know what I mean" hints are annoying. If you mean that you think most women joining the military are gay or fleeing bad relationships with men, say it.

 

[dacjohns]

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I retired from the Army. I got an Associate Degree while on active duty, got out and went to college on the GI Bill and got a Bachelor Degree with a major in Biology, got commissioned and went back on active dute, got a Master Degree in Internation Relations which was fully funded. Fully funded means I didn't pay a thing and it was also my job for the period of time I went to school.


I now collect retired pay and am on a second career as a wildlife biologist. I did alright by ending up in the military. All my education was paid for, I saw and experienced many different things. I think I am a better and more rounded (got fat after getting out

) person for it.

 

[dacjohns]

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Then you can disregard what I said previously. I am also not average as shown by me retiring from the Army and having an advanced degree.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

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That's kinda hard to answer, it's been an ongoing project. For undergrad, I double majored in Psychology and Criminal Justice (and took all the ROTC military science classes, but they wouldn't let me join with asthma

) My capstone project was on sexual assaults on military women. A smaller paper for Ethics was on women serving in the military. My master's program is Criminology, Law and Society, and I've continued research on sexual assaults.
So, I asked, because every time I look for research on or ask people about sexual assaults on military women, the issue of whether or not they should serve inevitably comes up. Like I said, I was just curious, and have found this discussion very interesting.

As for whether or not you are average for having an advanced degree, I guess I meant I was looking for a broad population sample, not just one like-minded group. And, so far, I'd say this group is very diverse.

 

[Ridgerunner]

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I have not read a lot of this thread, but I'll go on with my opinion. If I say something that insults you, don't take it personally. I probably did not read your post.

Should women be allowed to serve in the military? Yes, in any position where they can meet the requirements.

I worked in various construction type camps around the world, mostly in very remote areas. It is not the military, but there were a lot of similarities to my time in Korea in the military. When I was in the army, women were not posted to that type of army post, but there were women in those construction camps, many in pretty responsible positions. I find that women can be as qualified as men. There is no question in my mind about that. Boyd makes a good point in that some women are not physically as able as other people for certain jobs. Some men are not either. Men or women, they need to be qualified.

There is the question about men wanting to protect women. I am an old southern chauvinist pig. I carry a clean handkerchief and a sharp pocket knife as any southern gentleman should. You never know when a lady might have a need for either. I try to be courteous to everyone, including ladies that act as ladies, and tend to be protective and helpful to those that may need it, the old, young, handicapped, families with young children, whatever. I went through a few crises in those construction camps. Some of the women (and men) needed help. Some of the men and women were tough as nails and needed no help. They did not ask for help, did not get it, and did not need it.

Women may be a distraction. True, some are. Some are not. I don't mean that because of their appearance. I mean that because of their attitude. Some very attractive women were not a distraction at all. Some not real attractive ones were. I'm not talking about the women that were able to use their femininity to take advantage of some men. If a man is that stupid he deserves to be taken advantage of. I just don't see the justification of restricting women because of men's shortcomings. And remember, I am a male chauvinistic pig, at least in some women’s' opinions. I'll open a door for them, just like I will for many other people.

About women in combat. Google Molly Pitcher. Research women fighting in the civil war. Consider what a lot of the pioneer wives did while their husbands were off hunting and their families needed protecting. Get real!!!

Are women more at risk if they are captured in combat? I don't want to be considered insensitive to the rape thing, but men can be tortured too. I consider that a risk that people willingly accept if they choose to put themselves in that position.

In my opinion, a qualified woman has as much right to be in the military as a qualified man.

 

[dacjohns]

backyard

If you have some specific questions you would like me to answer go ahead and shoot me a PM. I would be happy to respond but I really don't want to get bogged down or too involved in this thread.

 

[Orchid]

Ridgerunner, there are men on this thread who qualify as male chauvinist pigs, but you aren't one of them. Chivalry and chauvinism are two completely different things.

Well said!

 

[backyardmenagerie]

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I agree!