Should we have women as front line troops?

Question

Should we be sending them off with an AK47 and a smile? Is it discrimination to only have men on the front line?

The UK doesn't have female front line troops. Support personnel only.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article195286.ece

Apparently the gov aren't up for it because women can't carry any where near as much kit, or march as far, and are 8 times more likely to be injured.

Women make crap soldiers, in other words. Then you have the problem of rape to deal with (from own side, not enemies, a real problem for the US troops in the Gulf) pregnancies, less agressive...

For Francis F.

http://edstrong.blog-city.com/iraq_us_military_women_suffer_rape_sexual_assault_and_hara.htm

For Tasha, I said THE UK HAS NO FEMALE FRONT LINE TROOPS. Yes, I am quite aware the Yanks have women in the line of fire.

Hey Tasha, if you enjoy being shot at, have a ball. As long as you can carry your own weight. But if they ever tried drafting me I'd be worse than useless. I think your average woman would be.

Answer 1

From my experience there are certain rolls that women can do in a combat situation. For example in the second world war the Russians used women as snipers with good effect.
Terrorists have used women as suicide bombers for many years.
Female pilots are very common now.
However the idea of putting women in the front line a foot solderers is really a non starter.
Not just because they are more prone to injuries and are not as physically strong as there male equivalents.
From a moral stand point women being killed or captured in a combat situation is bad news.
They can reduce the fighting efficiency of the team very quickly.
So sorry they can do every other job in the forces but front line is out of the question.

Answer 2

Absolutely not. I spent 15 years in a front line unit. My son has so far served 7. Neither of us would want to see females in a front line unit - any body with any sense and who has served will more than likely have the same opinion.

I'm no "sexist" and don't give a sh!t about PC. I'm just being a realist.

It's bad enough sending off your son or husband to the front line never mind your daughter or wife.

There's nothing worse than counting every single day till they're back. My lads got 67 days left on this deployment - and counting. Plus he already knows when and where his next will be.

Answer 3

Equal work + equal pay has been an underlying "conflict" in the military for a long time. While combat arms soldiers generally get promoted faster (that's generally), women don't fill those roles. Instead the military adopted Affirmative Action which allows minorities and women to get promoted faster. It's basically "filling a quota". I think if a woman can handle the same job ... by all means , let her do it. Then let's restructure the promotion system and make it fair (along with the rating criteria).

Answer 4

Ground troops, no. Air Force and Navy pilots yes.

Studies done at the School of Aerospace Medicine, Brook AFB, San Antonio, TX have shown that women, with their smaller stockier bodies, can pull more G-forces than men.
In other words, they innately are built better for flying fighter jets. Since we want the best to be fighter pilots, it is reasonable to assume women would be the best group to use as a basis.

But that is not the way it works. The USAF is still singing,

Macho, macho, macho man.....

Answer 5

Only if all women units fight on the front lines (segregated from male units.)

The problems with coed units are that the men will be distracted from disipline on the battle field if a woman fighter gets wounded. The chivalry in our society will cause men to put themselves into unnecessary risk to save a female warrior more so than a male warrior. We need our guy's to remain cool headed and effective. Not hot blooded and emotional.

Answer 6

In the type of war we are currently fighting, there is no such thing as a front line. Everyone in the war zone is at risk from bombings. Anyone can find themselves fighting for their lives.

The AK-47 is a Russian made weapon, although other nations also manufacure the weapon. It is not in service with the US Army or any other service, although perhaps it should be since it is an extremely reliable weapon.

Answer 7

Your question is obviously from someone who has never been in the military. There is no more front lines! Everywhere you go, you are at risk! I am a female, I was in Iraq getting shot at beside fellow soldiers. I carried a machine gun, the heaviest of all of our weapons. You really should read more, or just talk to people that know!

Answer 8

Well, I worked in plastics factories where girls werent allowed to work, to expected to do everything men do, they would also have to carry, lift, and run the same way we do, the standards in the millitary for females is not harder, in fact its much easier to get into, as far as physical things go, Im not sexist, and my reply has nothing to do with emotions , willingness, or smarts, just the strength part.

Answer 9

No women on the front line,its one of the only places we can still get some peace and quiet!............. only joking but NO women on the front line period. I know they're as good at being a soldier as any man etc etc but NO.

Answer 10

I wanted to join the forces after leaving school, but to my horror i found that i couldn't be on the front line in the army, fly an aircraft in the RAF, or sail in the Navy. Needless to say i didn't join. Things have changed for the better, and as always enterence into these will be TOUGHER for women, because in a male dominated job, it always is, you have to be twice as good.So why not, equallity mens in all things(just a shame men carn't have kids).