When did women start serving in front line combat roles in both the U.S military and the British military?

Question

Or perhaps they don't? I'm confused as I always thought that women were not deployed in combat situations, but it looks like things have changed.

Can we now have some answers on British policy please.

Um... Jenli... they can do the same thing to a man. Indeed Abu Ghraib shows sexual humiliation tactics on men were used by the USA as part of PsyOps and intelligence gathering.

Any chance of some of my fellow Brits coming in on this question? What do we do? Thanks

Answer 1

As far as the US military is concerned, they aren't serving in front line combat roles. In fact, while in Iraq, my company commander refused to allow the handful of girls under his command to leave the wire. Some did, but it was still rare.

Answer 2

In the US Military, female Soldiers do not serve in the traditional combat arms roles of Infantry, Armor and Artillery. They do, however, serve in support roles to these branches, (e.g. a female might be a medic or supply specialist assigned to a unit in one of these branches) as well as other "Combat Support" branches that may as well be combat branches, such as military police. Additionally, females pilot the Army's warfighting aircraft. Walking around post, you see many, many females wearing the "Combat Action Badge" which is awarded to those individuals who engage the enemy in a combat situation, but are not in the infantry.


Added: I had to add after the post a few below mine. There are many women that I know that would relish the idea of serving in the combat arms...the fact of the matter is that the Army is one of the last remaining institutions where there is a government sanctioned 'glass celing' for women. When going for the top ranks in the miltiary (General Officer or Command Sergeant Major) women are inelligible to compete against a huge portion of the rest of the force, simply because they are female and that door is closed to them. This war especially has demonstrated that female Soldiers are capable of filling combat arms roles, and many would like to partake, but are not allowed.

I attended a very tough Army school with several female Soldiers who put ALL the men to shame. I would have followed any of them into combat.

Answer 3

Women in the United States army can not be combat MOS's this is still the case, women can be engineers, truck drivers, and other MOSs that puts them into front line, but they can not be infantry.

They can be deployed to combat situations as medics, troop carriers, and other such thing, there have been women in combat since World War II, with women who were flying transport planes and were being shot at, Britain was not as advanced with women who were serving and they still try to tend to have women back at home or deep back in situations. the US was using women in Viet-Nam, usually as doctors, medics, supply but some women fought and over 100 died in that war. The US does have women who are MPs and MPs right now are some of the people who are breaking down doors, but there are no women in SEALs, Special Forces, Rangers.

the Soviet Union has been using women front line combat, since World War I.

Israel uses women in front line infantry positions.

Answer 4

There are many women in the Army who may not be in a combat role, however they do end up right in the midst of it all. My husband is a truck driver for the Army(88M), there are several females in his unit. They will be right there beside him when he deploys. If an IED goes off or if the come under small arms fire, those women are right there in the middle. Heck, some of them are even assigned to the gun trucks.

Answer 5

There is no FRONT LINE in Iraq or Afghanistan. The whole country is a combat zone. Even those clerk types are in a combat area. The US Navy commander I work with worked in a contratcting office in a 'safe area.' They hired several Iraiq clerks. One Iraqi male got busted bringing in pieces of a bomb each day. A few more days and he would have been able to blow up the whole building. So much for the FRONT LINE.

Answer 6

It's a consequence of fighting an insurgency. There is no "front line."

The problem is that insurgents are everywhere in the country so women serving anywhere may be involved in combat.

During major combat operations such as clearing Fallujah, no women are on the "front line" of infantry units clearing that city.

Answer 7

During the first Gulf conflict when the US helped to liberate Quwait from Iraq's invasion. Women were flying combat missions and still do. The women on the front lines now do not operate under combat roles, however they are armed and trained to defend while they are doing their support/supply operations.

Answer 8

If you are talking about the female that was captured by the Iranians i don't think this can be classified as the front line as there is no war with iran just like if they were on the border with jordan it would not be the front line

Answer 9

I think that they do and I believe that it started with the first conflict with Iraq.
I have to admit, I am not really completely on board with that idea.
I think that women would be better at support rolls and let the guys do the up close shooting and breaking things because everyone knows what the enemy is going to do to a 18 year old woman if she is captured.

Answer 10

Since the women's lib mob went out of control. It is unfortunate that these idiots think that having women doing the same jobs as men is a good idea, maybe now they will change their tune.