Posted on 02/02/2013 1:24:51 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
BARSTOW • Women will officially be allowed in combat for the first time in U.S. history, the Secretary of Defense announced last week, and Fort Irwin’s commanding general says he welcomes the change.
“Since the onset of the conflict (in Afghanistan), I’ve seen men and women do exciting things on the battlefield and that is truly amazing,” Brig. Gen. Terry Ferrell said. “The enemy we face doesn’t distinguish between men and women.”
Ferrell said the National Training Center has placed women in different Military Occupation Specialties (MOS) since May 2012.
“From a normal progression, it’s not surprising,” he said. “Our military is ever evolving and we recognize that. This is another opportunity to go forward and give women the same opportunities.”
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michaele McCulley, the officer in charge of the Goldminer Team at Fort Irwin and the second woman to hold the title, said the change is a step forward and means women serving in logistics can now be assigned to combined arms units.
“For me personally as a Lt. Col. it makes no direct impact, but for a younger officer or soldier it could because now there are other opportunities,” McCulley said.
McCulley said allowing women in combat has been a topic of discussion throughout her 21 years of service. As the commander of the Regimental Support Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment — a battalion-size unit with over 700 assigned soldiers in Afghanistan — she said her logistics team delivered supplies and drove on the same roads as infantry soldiers assigned to combat engagement.
“Our Army has some flexibility now in the logistics field,” she said.
Sgt. Natasha Mackenzie, a combat photographer from the Operations Group at Fort Irwin, deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. She said her tour ended early after she was knocked out by a boulder in an RPG blast.
“I think it’s good that things are changing,” she said. “I believe it’s the future. We’re moving on.”
Howard "Buck" McKeon, Chairman of the House Armed Services committee praised the announcement.
“After a decade of critical military service in hostile environments, women have demonstrated a wide range of capabilities in combat operations, and we welcome this review,” McKeon said.
The announcement is the beginning of the process before full implementation will take place, according to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Congress will have 30 days to weigh in on the decision and the military services will have until May 15 to report implementation plans, which will be open for exemptions until 2016.
“The fact is, they (women) have become an integral part of our ability to perform our mission, and for more than a decade of war they have demonstrated courage and skill and patriotism," Panetta said during the announcement last week.
According to CNN, women made up 67 of the nearly 3,500 Americans lost in hostile fire in Iraq and 33 of the 1,700-plus killed in combat in Afghanistan. In addition, more than 600 women in Iraq and 300 more in Afghanistan were wounded.
As of September, 418 of the Army's 438 MOS were open to women of all ranks, according to a U.S. Army report.
“We’ve been running a series of tests already and there will be a very detailed assessment as the process evolves,” Ferrell said. “We’re opening up a lot of different jobs and work.”
. . .
And I’ll tell you all right now, that the Generals and Admirals that lack the stones to speak up on women in combat and gays in the military are the same people who will carry out orders to fire on U.S. civilians.
BINGO!
My sons will never serve in the US military.
We’ll wait until the landings hit Va Beach, thank you.
...2/508 PIR, 82nd ABN 80-84, 90-91
Brigadier General Terry Ferrell
Commanding General
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California
Brigadier General Terry Ferrell is a native of West Virginia and was commissioned an Armor Officer in 1984, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Marshall University. Brigadier General Ferrell’s key assignments include Commander, A Company, later Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, Baumholder, Germany; Mechanized Infantry Observer/Controller on the Scorpion Team National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California; Small Group Instructor Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, Georgia; Squadron S3, Regimental S3, and Regimental Executive Officer, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Brigadier General Ferrell Commanded 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia from January 2001 to May 2003. During this time period he deployed the squadron in support of OPERATION JOINT FORGE (SFOR 9) in Bosnia-Herzegovina and combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following his assignment as the Deputy Chief of Future Operations Division, J3, North American Aerospace Defense Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, he commanded 2d Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia from March 2006 to August 2008 and deployed the brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in South Central Iraq. Following command, Brigadier General Ferrell served as the Chief of Staff, 3rd Infantry Division. Brigadier General Ferrell’s previous assignments were as the Assistant Division Commander (Support) later Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), 2d Infantry Division, Republic of Korea.
Brigadier General Terry Ferrell holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Counseling and Rehabilitation from Marshall University, a Master's of Business Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Master's of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. His military schooling includes the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Combined Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, and the United States Army War College.
Brigadier General Ferrell’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Action Badge.
http://www.irwin.army.mil/CommandGroupUnits/NTCcommand/Pages/CG.aspx
What a bunch of jerks for officers, especially Gens. Not a damn Gen we have has ever been a company CO in combat of a US Infantry or US marine line company. You folks tell me all about those women who are going to hump the bush, mountains, desert, etc. for 4-5 days at a whack, carry 400 rounds of 5.56 ammo, a 60 mm mortar round in their rucksack, plus extra grenades, claymores, radio batteries, rations for 5 days, water for at least two days, and; you tell me how they are going to hold up? My bet is these women Infantry officers will have their PT tests dumbed down just like those women in Afghan who went around with US Infantry units and talked to Afghan women. The lioness program was BS if anyone talked to men below the rank of O-5. If you have not commanded an infantry unit in combat-do not speak.
Patton’s rolling over in his grave.
>>Brig. Gen. Terry Ferrell said. “The enemy we face doesn’t distinguish between men and women.”
Dumbest. Statement. EVER!
Has this sad clown ever seen a burkha or the morality police? How many Saudi women has he seen driving a car? Swimming in a pool with men? If he wants to insert his head into Obama’s rectum, that’s fine, but he shouldn’t make public statements from there.
“...she said her logistics team delivered supplies and drove on the same roads as infantry soldiers assigned to combat engagement.”
Well alrighty then! Never mind the pugil stick training. Grab a couple of grenades and come join us at the front!
But I would not have wanted to witness a smallish female humping 60 pound antitank rounds or adjusting track tension under those conditions, much less if they were being shot at.
One of the cruelist lessons I watched on TV during the initial hours of the US Invasion of Iraq. A US platoon or squad encountered a machine gun plus a suspected tank in a barn/building. The idiots had no damn training on how to call in ARTY or air. These were the same clowns who allowed the Iraqi’s in the buses to pass by and get behind their lines. These clowns for officers we have now who have never been LT’s and CPT’s in this war in the Infantry or SF, or the CORP, have no right to speak for that EM who does the dying in the Infantry. That “Follow Me Statue” at Benning will be a drag queen with zero as our CIC. Their is a huge difference in being a combat pilot as you fly your mission, drop your load, and; you are back to the O club and a safe place to sleep. Hell, every war has had indirect fire hit basecamps. These damn woman and gays will ruin the military. It is already ruined as it is 90% mech infantry. Hell, it appears we ride up and down MSR’s. That is begging to get your men killed. Had I taken my SF NCO’s plus Rhade yards and driven up and down roads-I damn sure could have got them KIA by RPG’s and 155 arty IED’s. That would never have happened as my NCO’s would have talked to my superiors who would have relieved me. And Petraeus is a damn joke as CI was part of the SF officers course in 66-67. He did not invent COIN.
Armor is not INFANTRY. You are riding. MECH Infantry is a damn joke, too.
Ferrell, sucking his way up thatladder.
“And I’ll tell you all right now, that the Generals and Admirals that lack the stones to speak up on women in combat and gays in the military are the same people who will carry out orders to fire on U.S. civilians.”
WOW. THAT SAYS IT ALL (caps used)
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