The prospect of women in ground combat or on the front-line in the military has proven to be a controversial issue throughout decades of war. This controversy stems from criticisms such as women’s physicality versus men’s, the association of sexual-related situations within the military, and a history of failed gender-integration training. The bottom line, however, is that women should not be allowed in front-line or ground combat unless they are willing and capable of meeting the same standards of testing as men.
Basic differences in the physicality of men and women are one of the key aspects of why a woman’s combatitive role in the military is questioned. Many of the differences between men and women’s training in military roles are biased by gender, which can create overly hazardous battle conditions. For women in the military, training and testing requirements are set at a lower standard because they lack the efficiency in strength capabilities that men possess. It is shown in the testing requirements that “To get a perfect score on the Army fitness test, a 22-year-old man must do 75 push-ups, 80 sit-ups, and run two miles in 13 minutes. Women soldiers must do 46 push-ups, 80 sit-ups, and run two miles in 15:38” (Yeager 2010), which is a significantly lowered standard. The fact is well-known in the military world that, as long as these lower standards are met, a woman’s goal is considered reached in a satisfactory manner. This is unfair treatment towards the men involved, as well as military tradition, but most importantly to the safety of the women willing to fight. Women who choose to take on a role in ground combat and on the front-line have put themselves in the same life-threatening position that the men of the military...
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...ng Viewpoints. Armed Forces. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from American Conservative, 2008, April 7, 7, 14-17) Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com:80/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010638217&userGroupName=naal_uwa&jsid=074fde76d044b208a84ef321a8bfa2b2
Yeager, H. (2010). The Role of Women in the Armed Forces Should Be Expanded. In L. Gerdes (Ed.), Opposing Viewpoints. Armed Forces. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. (Reprinted from Wilson Quarterly, 2007, Summer, 31, 54-62) Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com:80/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Viewpoints&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=OVIC&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010638216&userGroupName=naal_uwa&jsid=2ad2d89960ed772031e8bed3b55cdd3f
The purpose of Carol Cohn’s article “Women in War” is to explain why women have been kept out of the subject of war although they have played many vital roles. Cohn argues, that because of the gender coding of characteristics, institutions such as the military have been established in such a way that not only rejects characteristics of femininity but also preserves masculinity. Cohn employs logic, fact and the reasoning of experts in their own respective fields to answer why there is such a separation between the military and women.
Men have always been looked upon as the leading sex. Looking back through history women have been the ones who take care of the home and children, while men are the ones who work and go to war. However in recent years there’s no doubt that women have become much more equal in the work force. Nevertheless men are still the ones who are forced to fight our wars when the time calls for it. Many think that women should be entirely equal to men having their choice to be drafted taken away but the fact is that they are physically at a disadvantage, too emotionally oriented, and the increase of female presence would have a more negative impact in the military in the way of social interactions.
Since the resolution of World War II, the United States has been involved in over fifteen extensive military wars. Recent wars between Iraq and Afghanistan are being fought over several issues which affect women in both the United States and the other nations. While the military is often thought of a male dominated institution, women are present and affected all throughout the system as soldiers, caretakers, partners, and victims. Transnational feminists often fight against war due to the vulnerability that is placed on women during times of war. Despite often being overlooked, there is no doubt that women are heavily included in the devastating consequences of war.
In 1973, women began to grow in numbers in the All-Volunteer Force implemented under President Nixon. “In February 1988, Department of Defense (DoD) codified the Combat Exclusion Policy by adopting the ‘Risk Rule’”, (the DoD Combat Exclusion Policy) pg. 21, 22. The change of the feminine role in the civilian population has forced a review of their presence in the Armed Forces. These roles reviewed after the onset of the Exclusion Law in “1967 when the statutory strengths and grade limitations were lifted” (…GOA, pg 4) as well as in 1978 when positions available to women were expanded (…GOA). In 1992 and 1993 when the “Defense Authorization Acts were implemented, congress revoked the prohibition of women’s assignments to combat aircraft… and in January 1994 the ‘Risk Rule’ was rescinded” (the DoD Combat Exclusion Policy) pg 22. With the 1994 change in the “Risk Rule”, assignments were available for females in all services to participate in all available positions. Exceptions of “assignments to units below the brigade level whose primary mission is direct ground combat” (the DoD Combat Exclusion Policy) pg 22(ibid) were put in place.
In the article “All Guts, No Glory” by Molly M. Ginty the author explained the everyday battles women faced in the armed forces. Until recently women were not allowed in the military what so ever, at one point in time they weren’t permitted to have any kind of job at all. Since granted the opportunity to enlist into the armed forces it was still made known that women could not engage in any form of combat operations what so ever. This included special forces, short-rang field artillery, and infantry. Today all combat operations are open to women, for the exception of special forces, do to physical requirements. This action raised the attention of most of the united states population, with the worry that women have no business in the military,
"Update: Women in the Military." Issues and Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 29 May 2007. Web.
Casey, L. "Women in Combat", Academic Essays and Debates on Women in the Military: Military Woman Magazine. December 19, 1997.http://www.militarywoman.org/academic.htm
The gender integration in the military has always faced questions of social acceptance, weather society can accept how women will be qualified and respected in the military as today. As of today, the decision has been made and allowed women to fill about 220,000 jobs that are now limited to men which includes infantry, armor, reconnaissance and some special operations units. The recruitment numbers of women have been increasing since than which reflects the importance of severing as role model for future women to join infantry and other ground combat jobs which they have been prohibited from. Women have extensively served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, but discrimination still continues till today. The military requirements are physical tests and standards such as long deployments aboard ships, exceptions for infantry which male units perform better than women. Women’s acknowledgement has not really changed which stated by Carter “ He said there are “physical differences on average” between men and women and that “thus far, we’ve only seen small numbers of women qualify to meet our high physical standards” for some units “ (Bradner, p. 3).There are not many exceptions for women fulfilling the needs to open opportunity jobs in the military but with little hope which men inhale the endurance and strength that are not viewed towards
The signing of the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act increased women’s interest in the military. Women were now able to take o...
Like with any modern point of contention, it is important to understand the history. Since as early as the revolutionary war, women have been active participants in the U.S. military. From nursing soldiers to cross-dressing and actually fighting, women have played a crucial
Opponents of women in combat roles claim that physical training standards are unequal; therefore women are unable to compete with men in training and are unequipped for combat roles. While physical training standards may have been unequal in the p ast, it is not a fact any longer. The Military has toughened its standards, making them more equal for both sexes. As of October 1997, every soldier, male and female is required to do 50 sit-ups in two minutes, representing an increase of three for men and five for women from the old standard which critics claimed was unequal. Also, both sexes must now run two miles, men in 16 minutes 36 seconds and women in 19 minutes 36 seconds. This requirement makes the distance requirement equal, while providing women 3 additional minutes to compensate for their smaller cardio-pulmonary systems. In addition, all soldiers must pass a fitness test every six months and if they fail and do not pass it again within 90 days, they are discharged.
Ruby, J. (2005, November 1). Women in Combat Roles: Is That the Question?. Off Our Backs,35, 36.
The story of America’s military woman can be traced to the birth of our nation. During the American Revolutionary War, the 18th and 19th centuries, where women served informally as nurses, seamstresses, cooks, and even as spies and were subject to Army’s rules of Conduct. Though not in uniform, these women shared soldier’s hardships including inadequate housing and little compensation. Women have formally been part of the U.S Armed Forces since the Inception of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901. In 1973 the transition to the All-Volunteer Force marked a dramatic increase in the opportunities available for women to serve in the military. As of September 30, 2009, the total number of active duty women in the U.S was 203, 375, and women made up 14.3 percent of the U.s armed forces (Robinson). Women are a crucial role in c...
One of the most important factors that shows how women are not as effective as men in combat situations is the obvious fact that they perform on different physical levels. Other important points are the fact that women are much more susceptible to injury than men. These factors could weigh heavily for th...
Wojack, Adam N. “Women Can Be Integrated Into Ground Combat Units.” Integrating Women into the Infantry (2002). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. University of South Alabama Library. 13 July 2006 .