Should Women Serve in Combat Units?
A01454247
Introduction
America is called the land of equal opportunity and within the military; the fight for women having the same job opportunities as men has been a non-stop debate for decades. Some say women should be allowed to fight in combat with the infantry units and Special Forces units in a wartime environment. A number of arguments have been traditionally given against women in combat that range from women lacking the physical capacity needed in combat, psychological issues that may arise within the unit and soldiers, and the matter of a female soldier getting pregnant in the battlefield and how detrimental that can be. As many arguments there are against women in combat, there are many that agree they should be able to fight side by side with men. Such reasons include that women should have the same equal opportunity as the opposite gender, women should not be judged by size and appearance, but by their abilities and training capabilities, and the fact that female soldiers are already fighting in combat, just not with infantry soldiers.
Pros – Women should serve in combat units Equal opportunity in the military is one of the biggest points the people of America will argue that women are not receiving. The opportunity to take on jobs that enhance men’s careers and give them a head start and boost in the military. Those jobs that are being considered are combat related jobs. According to Fawn Vrazo’s article women “Should she fight” women have more to offer the military other than secretarial positions. Many think that women belong along side men on the battlefield. Vrazo uses the example of Capt. Linda Bray who commanded MP units against the Panama Defense Forces. We have many examples of women fighting in war. One of the most extraordinary is that of Molly Pitcher in the revolutionary war and how she took over the cannon that her husband was using before he died. The military is very important and vital to the progression of female
Introduction
America is called the land of equal opportunity and within the military; the fight for women having the same job opportunities as men has been a non-stop debate for decades. Some say women should be allowed to fight in combat with the infantry units and Special Forces units in a wartime environment. A number of arguments have been traditionally given against women in combat that range from women lacking the physical capacity needed in combat, psychological issues that may arise within the unit and soldiers, and the matter of a female soldier getting pregnant in the battlefield and how detrimental that can be. As many arguments there are against women in combat, there are many that agree they should be able to fight side by side with men. Such reasons include that women should have the same equal opportunity as the opposite gender, women should not be judged by size and appearance, but by their abilities and training capabilities, and the fact that female soldiers are already fighting in combat, just not with infantry soldiers.
Pros – Women should serve in combat units Equal opportunity in the military is one of the biggest points the people of America will argue that women are not receiving. The opportunity to take on jobs that enhance men’s careers and give them a head start and boost in the military. Those jobs that are being considered are combat related jobs. According to Fawn Vrazo’s article women “Should she fight” women have more to offer the military other than secretarial positions. Many think that women belong along side men on the battlefield. Vrazo uses the example of Capt. Linda Bray who commanded MP units against the Panama Defense Forces. We have many examples of women fighting in war. One of the most extraordinary is that of Molly Pitcher in the revolutionary war and how she took over the cannon that her husband was using before he died. The military is very important and vital to the progression of female
Cited: Daniel, Lisa. “Panel recommends U.S. rescind policy on women in combat.” S.C. Military News. 2011. Web. 4 Jun 2011. Broadwell, Paula. “Women at War.” The New York Times. 2009. Web. 4 Jun 2011 Vrazo, Fawn "Should she fight?" Kight-Ridder Newspapers 21 Jan. 1990. Print.