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| The new image of the Marine Corps. Not a hardcore warrior but a care giver in uniform. |
Rant time.
I'm extremely disappointed.
I've been waiting anxiously to see which of the "big boy" blogs would come out and comment on the news yesterday that women would be allowed to go to the Infantry Course.
Not one of them has.
CDR Salamander (which I like alot) is silent. He'll wax on for days at a time about diversity...but its usually about racial diversity. This subject he won't touch with a ten foot pole. Selective outrage anyone? Yeah. I'm disappointed and won't read his posts the same ever again.
Information Dissemination. I don't like Galrahn and his crew. They're arrogant, condescending and I always had a grudging suspicion that they were under cover ass kissers. Suspicions confirmed. He isn't touching on this either.
Black Five. On this one I am extremely surprised. They haven't touched on it and they're composed of all these warrior, type A personality types. They also have writers from the only two SOCOM outfits that I like and respect...Rangers and Special Forces...but they're silent too. Extremely disappointed.
Last but not least is USNI Blog. I think simply saying that Colonel Ripley would not be happy is enough.
I've always been told and truly believe that physical courage is much easier than moral courage. Charging through a hail of gunfire is easier than taking politically unpopular positions.
This subject proves that to be true.
(I apologize in advance Army guys) But remember when US Marines used to laugh at pics like the ones below???? Something tells me that all the guys that were heading to the Marines to standout will be heading toward the Army now. Airborne, Air Assault and Ranger Units will probably start to overflow with new recruits once the Marine Corps puts this female in the Grunts initiative in place.
Ironic words. "Lucky for us, we still have the Marines"...not any fucking more. GOD! I wish the leadership would just carry their sorry asses out the door!
Sol,
ReplyDeleteas always, from the POV of a guy from a different culture who's only been a draftee REMF.
When I was in the mil, and the times I've visited afterwards, I found three kinds of women: those who were there for the check and those who believed in what they were doing and put their best into it. And tramps, of course. I'd ratherbe lead (or fight along) some of the second ones than by some officers I met; as a general rule, I'd say there were in higher proportion (of course, milwomen are much more recent here, so they still had to, you know, actually fight for it).
I've browsed the speech you posted, and AFAI understand it, he's saying that women, mostly, don't want to be in fighting units (they don't have to apply for them; of course, being a medic is not actually any sort of safeconduit any longer, if it ever was) or are self-serving officers (like anyone else). Then he allows for a small percentage of legitimates. I don't recall any mention apropos rape dangers.
Now, as I read it, what he's saying is that, gosh, women who want infantry are, basically, like men: either convinced, deluded, or self-serving.
Now, I admit my vision of women in combat roles is utopical: they should be safe from their own mates and the selection system would only allow adequate soldiers into their positions. No underperforming coach heaters, no self serving officers... But the failures in that are political, not a demerit of the individual who tries.
Yes, women are, by and large, less physically able than men. By and large does not mean "everyone" and, AFAIK, really able men have a real tough time when they finally meet their nightmare. I was with a couple of friends some time ago: a former Sgt. and a strongman "white trash" guy [his words; just shy 3x my weight]. As Sgt. said, "Clint --the strongman-- is every guy's worst nightmare; this is every woman's standard feeling when she meets a man".
I think there could be a useful role for women in military combat (among other things, their adrenal response seems to be delayed: they get both tunnel vision and the shakes later; which means they will be in a worse situation as combat advances, but they might be more clear headed in the first 10 seconds of it).
Of course, I don't think it's going to be properly done. But, again, that's political.
Ferran
This is just another political stunt with ZERO thought into anything but to give a President bullet points on the campaign trail. Look I lead the gays and women out and up in the military.
ReplyDeleteI know Israel has women in their combat units, I wonder how many of these stand out in more elite units I don't mean your rank and file rifle company. Israeli version of national guard.
The second picture of the overweight soldier was taken at Camp Bucca, Iraq. The soldier is a Laboratory Specialist, who waived his disability retirement to return to duty since his MOS was so critical. My wife, a Medical Technologist, served with him in the laboratory at Camp Bucca. His pain control consisted of 30mg Morphine Sulphate three times a day, alternating with 3 10mg doses of oxycodone per day. He spent 18 months in Bucca on aspirin and Tylenol.
ReplyDeleteThe Marine Captain pictured was later court martialed and given a dishonorable discharge.