Should Women Be Allowed In The Military

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Does gender determine the skill set that an individual possesses? This has been a hotly-debated issue for centuries. Women’s abilities have been questioned in the workforce and in everyday decisions. One such area in which women have been questioned is military service. There are 1,853,690 female veterans. Currently, approximately 203,000 military members, or 14.5 % of the military, are women. Still, some have doubts about how useful they can be. Though women have been efficient in tactical operations and on the front line, some claim they are unfit for service. Women deserve an equal chance in military positions because they possess the ability to work with men physically and have the same mental capacity as men, even outperforming them in …show more content…

True, women carry their strength differently than men. However, women and men are actually more physically similar than the majority of other animals. Women have about 30 percent less upper and lower body strength; there are no exact statistics pointing to a specific number. This does not mean they are unable to carry out the same duties as men. Women are less prone to diseases. They also have clearer night vision and a better visual memory, which could be useful in night time operations (III). They are able to train in order to build strength. In the military, women are not expected to do any less than men. They carry the same weights and do the same jobs. Private Kayla Padgett is one woman out of many who has proved herself as fit for the same positions as men. She worked as a platoon guide and was determined to be efficient. Drill sergeant Joseph Sapp praised her as “one of the best in the company.” The women of the infantry are expected to do the same physical tasks as men. The fact remains that if a woman can meet all of the standards for becoming a part of the military, they should be allowed to do so (Philipps …show more content…

According to studies, this is far from the truth. The Marine Corps conducted a study which found that mixed-gender combat units had “no detriment in morale.” These platoons also showed improvements in decision making, though they were slower in certain physical tasks. In percentage, mixed-gender units had no more reports of sexual assault than other cases. They were less likely to need disciplinary actions. The director of the Marine Corps Force Innovation Office, Brig. Gen. George W. Smith Jr., did caution against integration if it meant slowing down the abilities of a group, saying that it was “a prescription for failure.” He maintains that the physical tests for men and women should be the same. That is a fair assessment. The fact remains that if women can perform well, they deserve to be in the military. Women can be successfully integrated into the military as long as they follow the standards set by the recruiters (Philipps

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