How do you feel about co-ed military training?

Question

The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard all have co-ed basic/boot camp. (Although only 2 Army basic training sites are co-ed) Do you feel that the military would benefit from single sex basic/boot camp training like the Marines have? Which kind of training did you have? What do you think the pros and cons are?

I had co-ed training in the Army at Ft. Jackson. I’m torn on this issue. On one hand, men and women work together in the military so it makes sense to train together. However, when we worked in teams or groups, men would always have the burden of the most physically demanding tasks. Usually females didn't step up to plate at that point. If basic was single sex they would be forced to. Of course this is just based on my 9 week cycle. I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks.

No worries Alan C. Everyone has their own opinion.

Answer 1

There weren't any women serving in combat when I was in the service. My outfit is still an all male club.

Looking WAAAAAaaaaaaay back on boot camp, I think I was too preoccupied to worry about women. But there were none there. Aside from the potential for assignations and the resultant illegitimate children, I think working in close proximity to women would be distracting for guys. It might prove to be so for girls too. The military has a few short weeks to teach a whole lot of stuff. Distractions of any kind are detrimental to that end.

If it's a question of work, I think they should have the same physical performance criteria. There are some military units that exclude women from even trying out. Their contention is that women don't have the upper-body strength a man has. That may be generally true. But there are exceptions. I know some women who are as strong or stronger than most guys. It seems rather archaic to pre-disqualify women just because of the plumbing. Look at women smoke-jumpers. They go through the same training guys do. They carry the same packs. And some of them excel. I was told that a woman can't carry a 160-pound guy off the field. I know a lot of guys who can't do that either. But guys are allowed to try and fail. Why not women?

Women have been allowed into the military under lower physical requirements than men. Again, based on the gender bias. As a result, in combat, they're kind of looked on as second-class citizens. But suppose some girl could do the same number of "guy" push-ups, pull-ups, carry the same weight over an obstacle course in the same amount of time, and she isn't given the chance to prove it... thus perpetuating the myth.

I'm not saying women (or any other group) should be equally represented anywhere. But I believe they should be allowed to try and to fail or to succeed just like the guys.

In fairness to both sexes, the same acceptance criteria needs to be applied to both.

Is it going to happen? I doubt it... at least probably not for a long, long, long, long, long.... long, long time.

Answer 2

Co-ed Training

Answer 3

From personal experience I think either does not matter. But I believe that co-ed training prepares the military trainee to be in a more realistic situation to how we all work together in the military all the time. We are always told that we train as we fight and that seems to work. I had no problem working together in Basic because we all are seen as soldiers and the Drill SGTs did not care whether you were male or female they treated you the same for the most part. But when I got to AIT it was some males that came from all male training and believed us females did not belong in the same service. There minds change when they were forced to work with us. And saw through training you don't care what race, sex or religion someone is when your own life is on the line, you just remember and thank that person for having your back.

Answer 4

We made sure the females did their share of the tasks. The only thing about it that I really hated was the temptation to low-crawl into the woods with Private Hot-chick and have a little GI party. There was also the issue with the males having to be invisible when naked. We were supposed to go to the latrine to change uniforms, and we could never be outside the latrine with anything other than our feet out of uniform. Some people are just too doggone sensitive and easy to offend. If they haven't seen one by then, it's about time for an anatomy class.

I think that if the Army just cool it in their attempts to keep people from having sex, that subject would find it's proper place, and it would stop invading and distracting during duty time. While I was at AIT, we were just asked to use condoms and only have sex with other AIT soldiers. As a result, there was a lot less sexual tension, and everyone got along better.

I agree with what you said though; you fight how you train, and if you fight together, you should train together.

Answer 5

feel ed military training

Answer 6

I went through basic at Jackson, and am firmly against co-ed basic training units. It creates a distraction that doesn't need to be there. Plus, you have to split up one platoon of males, and those males do not form a proper team, for lack of bonding.

Answer 7

That makes a lot of sense. I've never been there but it does seem a bit unfair. I can see how the females would get the easy way out..happen everyday if you think about it lol

Answer 8

As long as they are held to equal standard, then I have no problem.

Answer 9

Personally, I am against women serving in the military at all. This comes from my experiences in the military with them.

I may get hate mail for it or whatever, it is just my belief that ladies dont need to be exposed to it.

*EDIT*
Of course I am one of those sexist bastards that still holds doors for ladies and call women ma'am so.... take it with a grain of salt.

Answer 10

It is a good thing to have our male soldiers going to the battle ground with a smile on their face....