Trajan
conscientia mille testes
First things first- as usual the media seems overjoyed yet cannot accurately delineate
( from the articles I have seen) what a “front Line” position is, let me help;
Infantry
Armour
Artillery
Combat Engineers
Certain Aviation Units – example; crew in the Air Cav. (close sppt. Helicopter units etc.)
Now, lets start with the why, because, all is not as it appears. This actually didn’t start out as a ‘social’ issue ala DADT ( though it will be used that way now for maximum political effect ).
Simply put, this is a practical matter as it comes to climbing the ladder in the Military hierarchy.
I remember a round table I saw on C-Span , 4-5 years ago, several highly ranked woman, from all 4 branches were discussing why prospects for very high advancement in greater number were not seemingly available even after the more immersed/various roles woman took/filled in the Desert Shield/ Storm but most especially Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign(s). I remember saying to myself we are going to hear of this again, but I wasn't not sure if the y would use the glass ceiling/corporate ladder climbing explanation as the reason de etre, as that may not sell as well in todays environment as the full throated; 'you dinosaurs don't think woman are capable' campaign slogan.
Anyway, why is there a perceived paucity of woman among the ‘prime’ or elevated command slots?
Simply put? The answer is ‘Ticket Punching’.
When you have engaged in enough back to back wars there is naturally a pool of officers to choose from who have punched their ticket ( served in time of War in a command slot , Platoon Leader, Company Commander, Flight Commander etc.) and having performed well or excelled in command of that Combat Arms unit ( having Punched their Ticket) , all other things being equal amongst the candidates being considered ( for whatever slot or step up the ladder they think they need or want at that moment, ) which inevitably leads to promotion in those positions the females officers were alluding too, the Combat Arms experience will take that candidate over the top in almost every instance.
So, in effect, Woman don’t get the opportunity to serve in Combat Arms, the affect being, they are hindered in their ability to compete for the prime command positions, gain higher ranks there by etc.
Unfair? Perhaps. I am still thinking about that…..
As to the boots on the ground pedestrian argument that will now take shape (again), I don’t see the point in discussing qualifications on the whole for combat arms slot’s. There is inho, no argument to be made.
Mentally/Intellectually, ‘ sexual tension’ issues? No, despite the ‘Love Boats’ in the Navy etc. I don’t see either as a dis-qualifier, BUT, based on sheer physicality, yes, there is has and always will be an issue.
Unless you have observed a Combat Arms unit go thru its paces, and I am not talking about on some drill field but IN the field, over time or have served in one, most especially in combat, it is very hard to really, truly describe the day to day, week to week wear and tear one suffers.
But this Captain does give it a try, I found this example , linked below- I give this young lady huge marks for her service and what’s more her Balls, ( no pun intended). If she stays in she’s got to know she’ll never make full Colonel, this article and her forthright statements regards this issue will prevent that, it’s a shame something so painfully obvious will cost careers, lets hope it never costs lives.
Anyway, PLEASE read the ENTIRE article.
Women in the infantry? Forget about it, says female Marine officer
Come September, a small group of young female Marines will break through one of the last bastions of macho in the U.S. military. They’ll be the first class of female officers to take part in the grueling Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Va., a test of both physical fitness and mental will that prepares the corps’ future platoon leaders.
All of these women will be volunteers, and their training will be closely watched. The new coed class has sparked suggestions that such training could lead to integrating women in the Marine infantry, with some saying they “would make excellent grunts.”
But at least one female Marine officer, a former college hockey player and battle-tested engineering unit commander still on active duty, says placing women in infantry units is just a bad idea.
“Infantry is one of those fields we need to leave alone.” Marine Capt. Katie Petronio told msnbc.com.
Petronio was just back from Afghanistan last year — where she worked shoulder to shoulder with infantrymen — when she heard people arguing that it was a violation of rights to restrict women from combat. The rights advocates missed the point, she said.
“It would just keep me up at night when I’d heard these bleeps or opinions,” Petronio said. “I felt if I didn’t do anything about it that my silence was consent and if this would’ve have passed, I wouldn’t have done my due diligence in getting my point across.”
She was compelled to write what became a widely cited article in the privately published Marine Corps Gazette provocatively titled “Get Over It! We Are Not All Created Equal.”
The article details her personal experiences during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, making the case that the physical rigors of infantry are not for women.
Even though she was a standout Bowdoin athlete and could bench press 145 pounds and squat 200 pounds, was ranked 4th out of a class of 52 in Officer Candidate School and excelled at Marine Corps fitness tests, Petronio's deployment in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan took a brutal toll on her 5-foot-3-inch body.
article continues;
Women in the infantry? Forget about it, says female Marine officer - U.S. News
( from the articles I have seen) what a “front Line” position is, let me help;
Infantry
Armour
Artillery
Combat Engineers
Certain Aviation Units – example; crew in the Air Cav. (close sppt. Helicopter units etc.)
Now, lets start with the why, because, all is not as it appears. This actually didn’t start out as a ‘social’ issue ala DADT ( though it will be used that way now for maximum political effect ).
Simply put, this is a practical matter as it comes to climbing the ladder in the Military hierarchy.
I remember a round table I saw on C-Span , 4-5 years ago, several highly ranked woman, from all 4 branches were discussing why prospects for very high advancement in greater number were not seemingly available even after the more immersed/various roles woman took/filled in the Desert Shield/ Storm but most especially Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign(s). I remember saying to myself we are going to hear of this again, but I wasn't not sure if the y would use the glass ceiling/corporate ladder climbing explanation as the reason de etre, as that may not sell as well in todays environment as the full throated; 'you dinosaurs don't think woman are capable' campaign slogan.
Anyway, why is there a perceived paucity of woman among the ‘prime’ or elevated command slots?
Simply put? The answer is ‘Ticket Punching’.
When you have engaged in enough back to back wars there is naturally a pool of officers to choose from who have punched their ticket ( served in time of War in a command slot , Platoon Leader, Company Commander, Flight Commander etc.) and having performed well or excelled in command of that Combat Arms unit ( having Punched their Ticket) , all other things being equal amongst the candidates being considered ( for whatever slot or step up the ladder they think they need or want at that moment, ) which inevitably leads to promotion in those positions the females officers were alluding too, the Combat Arms experience will take that candidate over the top in almost every instance.
So, in effect, Woman don’t get the opportunity to serve in Combat Arms, the affect being, they are hindered in their ability to compete for the prime command positions, gain higher ranks there by etc.
Unfair? Perhaps. I am still thinking about that…..
As to the boots on the ground pedestrian argument that will now take shape (again), I don’t see the point in discussing qualifications on the whole for combat arms slot’s. There is inho, no argument to be made.
Mentally/Intellectually, ‘ sexual tension’ issues? No, despite the ‘Love Boats’ in the Navy etc. I don’t see either as a dis-qualifier, BUT, based on sheer physicality, yes, there is has and always will be an issue.
Unless you have observed a Combat Arms unit go thru its paces, and I am not talking about on some drill field but IN the field, over time or have served in one, most especially in combat, it is very hard to really, truly describe the day to day, week to week wear and tear one suffers.
But this Captain does give it a try, I found this example , linked below- I give this young lady huge marks for her service and what’s more her Balls, ( no pun intended). If she stays in she’s got to know she’ll never make full Colonel, this article and her forthright statements regards this issue will prevent that, it’s a shame something so painfully obvious will cost careers, lets hope it never costs lives.
Anyway, PLEASE read the ENTIRE article.
Women in the infantry? Forget about it, says female Marine officer
Come September, a small group of young female Marines will break through one of the last bastions of macho in the U.S. military. They’ll be the first class of female officers to take part in the grueling Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Va., a test of both physical fitness and mental will that prepares the corps’ future platoon leaders.
All of these women will be volunteers, and their training will be closely watched. The new coed class has sparked suggestions that such training could lead to integrating women in the Marine infantry, with some saying they “would make excellent grunts.”
But at least one female Marine officer, a former college hockey player and battle-tested engineering unit commander still on active duty, says placing women in infantry units is just a bad idea.
“Infantry is one of those fields we need to leave alone.” Marine Capt. Katie Petronio told msnbc.com.
Petronio was just back from Afghanistan last year — where she worked shoulder to shoulder with infantrymen — when she heard people arguing that it was a violation of rights to restrict women from combat. The rights advocates missed the point, she said.
“It would just keep me up at night when I’d heard these bleeps or opinions,” Petronio said. “I felt if I didn’t do anything about it that my silence was consent and if this would’ve have passed, I wouldn’t have done my due diligence in getting my point across.”
She was compelled to write what became a widely cited article in the privately published Marine Corps Gazette provocatively titled “Get Over It! We Are Not All Created Equal.”
The article details her personal experiences during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, making the case that the physical rigors of infantry are not for women.
Even though she was a standout Bowdoin athlete and could bench press 145 pounds and squat 200 pounds, was ranked 4th out of a class of 52 in Officer Candidate School and excelled at Marine Corps fitness tests, Petronio's deployment in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan took a brutal toll on her 5-foot-3-inch body.
article continues;
Women in the infantry? Forget about it, says female Marine officer - U.S. News
