Females kept off ground for special-ops missions

Washington Times ^ | 10/24/01 | Rowan Scarborough

[kattracks]

American female pilots are dropping bombs on Afghanistan, but when it comes to boots on the ground, they are barred by law from joining special-operations missions to kill terrorists.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has said commandos will play a big role in eliminating al Qaeda in Afghanistan and other terror networks around the world. But in the special "ops" community, women are restricted to two noncombat specialties.

[zarf]

Law Suit, law suit!!!

[BenR2]

The day the AF allowed women in combat aircraft, my whole attitude changed.

I have a question: How many women fly fighter aircraft for the following Air Forces? Israel's, China's, Russia's, Syria's?

[disclaimer]

The day the AF allowed women in combat aircraft, my whole attitude changed.

Changed how? Enquiring minds want to know. Just seeking clarification.

[Squantos]

I have no problem with a female driving a jet dropping bombs or delivering cargo paratroops etc. Where my big problem is in this issue revolves around a different physical standard for males and females. If GI joe has to run a mile in 8 minutes then GI jane has to run a mile in 8 minutes. To make GI Joe or GI jane wait for the weaker of the team is criminal and will kill them both in combat IMHO and EXPERIENCE.

If one GI can't make the run or PT standards to qualify for combat duty then s/he should not be a PC burden for others to carry male or female.

It's not a sex issue it's a what can you do issue. I had a "split tail" that worked for me that I'd put up against the best of the best. She could out run, outfight (akido addict) and was a body builder from hell. Tough as nails. She was in the top 10 athletes in our unit and carried her load and never needed help nor did she ever have to be waited on or treated any different than the rest of the troops.

My point being, set a common standard, qualify to that standard and "belong" based on ones achievements versus some bullshit social experiment designed by someone with a chip on their sholder trying to prove a point.

Stay Safe Katt !

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Good article and real facts and regulations about women in combat during this war.

[Sabertooth]

"It's not a sex issue it's a what can you do issue."

It's also a "what they'll do to POWs" issue.

Anyone know if the Moslems treat men and women equally?

[Illbay]

Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS),...

I suggest it be changed to the "Lame Ass Committee for Killing Our Women In Thrall to Steinem," or "LACKOWITS".

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Good article and real facts and regulations about the women we have in combat during this war.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Good article and real facts and regulations about the women we have in combat during this war.

Stop in and find new ways to help support our troops

USO Canteen FReeper Style - Click here to locate the latest thread.

[Governor StrangeReno]

Carrying 200-250lb humans over hilly muddy terrain or moving the 4wd on rims the same specified distance over the same period of time without the benefit of an internal combustion engine...if they can't do the 'special' in special forces dont have them there.

[onyx]

Guess I'm old-fashioned: I think men's work ought to be exclusively relegated to men.

[swheats]

Women should be able to fly fighters, there's no risk of breaking a nicely manicured fingernail. Now hand-to-hand combat that might be a problem. :}

[KLT]

Thanks for the flag Tonkin, I'm very split on this issue, I have to give it more thought. BTT

[hchutch]

In World War II, several Russian female pilots made ace.

[Jim Noble]

>>I'm very split on this issue<<

I'm not.

Every women in some other-than-combat MOS sends a man into a combat MOS.

For purposes of promotion, bennies, and advancement they are treated equally, but they are grossly unequal where the entire purpose of the organization is defined.

As outstanding male captains die in land combat, there will be more females than males to advance to major-and so on.

The whole situation is ludicrous. Women should be in a separate support structure-like the WAF, or WAVES.

[JoeGar]

As a former fighter-bomber pilot, I've never seen any reason why women could not fly combat aircraft -- as long as they have the stamina to escape and evade should they be shot down. They would, however, squelch a lot of Happy Hour fun at the O'Club. The guys would have to clean-up their act. (Note: In the late 1960s, there were two women officers at the air base where I was stationed. No women were allowed at Friday Happy Hour at the O'Club -- not even those two women officers! The guys tended to get too drunk, disorderly, and gross.)

[CheneyChick]

heh heh :)

[BansheeBill]

There was a radio interview a couple of weeks ago with a writer who lived in Pakistan for a number of years and spent an extensive amount of time in Afghanistan.

It was his opinion that women should not be involved in the fighting there, as in Afghan culture, a man who would let a woman do his fighting for him, deserves no respect at all. He said it would be a huge mistake for Northern Alliance forces to see women in uniform. They would lose all respect for the US fighting men.