There is a specific reason that military personnel achieve certain physical and operational standards - and that is if they have to drag or carry wounded comrades off the front lines during a fire fight, or stand and fight to protect their buddies..
I would welcome anyone [man or woman] who satisfied all of the requirements - as my well being might well depend on them. But, I would not welcome anyone who couldn’t cut the mustard ...
I wouldn’t even care if a woman could physically do the job, it’s not ethical, it’s not right, and I don’t agree with it. I speak as a infantry vet.
“I would welcome anyone [man or woman] who satisfied all of the requirements - as my well being might well depend on them. But, I would not welcome anyone who couldn’t cut the mustard ...”
One of the last thing’s I did before leaving the Sheriff’s Department back in the late 70’s was train a new Deputy. She was 5-7 and weighed about 140, she roped calves and was a bulldogger, she worked out at the YMCA on a daily basis. Back then the city was dry but the county was wet and we hade 16 bar’s in the county. With 16 bar’s and this being the oilfields and ranching country your going to get into some chit and we had our share. She never backed down and held her own, she bailed me out one night when a couple of roughnecks had me on the ground, she pulled out her SAP and went to work. Pound for pound the toughest person I ever had the honor to work with.
She stayed single for another 5 years and yes the rumors were flying about her being queer (gay are lesbian was not a term used then). I got a call from her about that time inviting me to her wedding, she married a local ranchers son. She’s still here in the county and her and her husband raised 3 great kid’s. She’s never let me forget about the time she had to bail me out that night in the bar. What a LADY!