Women In Combat Roles
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the integration of women into combat units and some issues that may arise for women. Individuals that oppose women in combat roles argue that women’s health, physical fitness, sexual assault awareness, gender-normed vs gender-neutral standards, the draft, and women’s history are reasons for ending integration. Supporters counter argue these same points, in favor of women’s integration into combat Military Occupational Specialties (MOS)’s. As long as females meet all requirements for combat MOS they should be able to serve in that occupation.
Women’s Military History
Women have been serving in the Military since the American Revolutionary War. However, most female’s roles were in the support of military …show more content…
medical services. Congress formally recognize women serving in the Army Nurse Corps with the Army Reorganization Act of 1901. (31 Stat. 753; February 2, 1901). With much needed manpower in 1942 World War 2 Congress created the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps to serve at noncombatant service. By the end of the war nearly 400,000 women have served in the armed services as members of the Army and Navy Nurse Corps, Women’s Army Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Following World War 2, women could not be assigned as members to a duty in aircraft engaged in combat and to vessels engaged in, or likely to be engaged in combat mission through the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 (Pub. L. No. 80-625, 1948). In 1978 the Women’s Army Corps was disestablished after the Army opened previously closed occupations including aviation formally a combat position to women. (Gender Issues, 1998). In 1988 DOD adopted the “risk rule” “excluded women from noncombat units or missions if the risks of exposure to direct combat, hostile fire or capture were equal to or greater than the risk in the units they supported.” (GAO/NSIAD-99-7 Gender Issues 1998 Oct). During Operations, Desert Shield and Desert Storm more than 500,000 troops deployed of them 40,000 servicewomen. Many working along their male colleagues and in leadership roles. After the Desert Storm Congress repealed the restriction of women flying an aircraft engaged in combat mission (Operation Desert Storm, 2017). During Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (OEF) over 200,000 women have been deployed to these regions (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2011). Many women in support of the OIF and OEF have been awarded for heroism, they have been prisoners of war (POW) and dying for their country. The highest award given was the Silver Star. In September 2015, the Army announced that the first two women graduated from Ranger school and in October 2015, the third female graduated (Michelle, 2015). As history repeats women continue to prove that they have a vital role with in the military. Now that women are allowed in combat units they will strive to be the best. As they have proven from the American Revolutionary War, Operations, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, OIF and OEF they deserve to choose whatever Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) they qualify for.
Opposing Women in Combat Units
It’s believed that the integration of women into combat units will encounter these problems: women’s health, physical fitness, sexual assault, gender-normed vs gender-neutral standards, and drafting of women into the military. With these current problems, how can the American people argue that women should be in combat units.
Women’s Health
Female Soldiers that become pregnant are exempt from training and combat deployments which hinders the unit’s readiness, they undergo psychological and physiological changes. Women’s menstruation cycles occur once a month, 3-7 days, they experience light bleeding, heavy bleeding, headaches, cramps, and sensitivity to light and a host of other issues. Females experiencing menopause can be an issue if treatment is unavailable. For the units training or deploying they will be one Soldier short which puts the mission at risk and increases stress on other soldiers in the unit. Studies have shown that women compared to men have significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety disorders including Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Hoge, 2007).
Physical Fitness
From a Physical fitness viewpoint, female Soldiers are four times more likely to sustain injuries during combat than male Soldiers are (Finestone, 2008). Do to the physiological differences the body composition for males and females are different some examples are muscle groups and bone structures are smaller than males (Frost H.M, 2003). The lung capacity of men is 25-30 percent greater than women. The heart size of a woman is 25 percent smaller than a male, making it easier for blood to pump through the body and women may fatigue faster than men (Wolchover, 2011). When in a combat or training environment it is a common belief that females will not be physically capable of performing exhausting details normally performed by men, especially while wearing a full battle kit? (Schaefer, N.D). Physically most females would take more time to move wounded than it would take males. The average female weighed down with full gear is at a disadvantage in overall physical ability to perform hand to hand combat against a male enemy opponent.
Sexual Assault
For many years Congress and Pentagon officials debated the possibility of sexual assault in combat units involving females.
Debates focused on the risk female Soldiers would face in captivity to include violent actions they may endure that males might not be subjected to. An example was Private First Class (PFC) Jessica Lynch, who was the only soldier raped and sodomized multiple times by enemy Iraqi insurgents. These actions alone cast a doubt of the idea of women serving in combat units. Whether in combat or garrison the sexual assault will be a problem. The Department of Defense (DOD) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 annual report on sexual assault in the military. In this report the DOD received 6,063 reports for sexual assault allegations involving service members (DOD Releases FY15 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military. (n.d.). Retrieved, 2017).
Gender-Normed vs Gender-Neutral Standards
Gender-Normed standards is the currently the Army physical fitness testing standard. The minimum standards for an 18-year-old male, 42 push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and run two miles in under 15:54. 18-year-old Female 19 Push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and run two miles in under 18:54. With these standard males have to do 23 push-ups more, the same number of sit-ups, and run three minutes faster in the two-mile run. Some women meet the male minimum standards and score 100 points for 42 push-ups and 96 points for the two-mile run with a time of 15:54 (US Army Physical Fitness Test Scores (n.d.). Retrieved, 2017).
Draft
Senator John McCain sponsored “Draft America’s Daughters” (H.R.4478 -Act of 2016). Legislation requiring 18-year-old women to register with Selective Service. The bill passed in June, 2016 requiring all women turning 18 on or after Jan 1, 2018 to register with Selective Service (Steinhauer, 2016). Currently it will allow women to serve as combat replacements if a draft was activated how many civilian men or women would be capable of meeting the minimal physical qualifications for combat arms such as infantry.
Why Women should be in Combat Units Although women encounter many issues within the DOD. Women have been serving alongside combat arms units as pilots, truck drivers, and medics. All military branch’s will emplace policy’s and regulation to ensure that the integration of women to combat units are an effortless transition.
Women’s Health
Women’s health being a problem is no different than a male soldier on temporary profile. Soldiers on temporary profile may put the mission at risk and others will feel the stress. This doesn’t make a difference the mission will be at risk when you have members of the unit on temporary profile. A memorandum from the Army Chief of Staff, states “our goal is to improve personnel readiness by significantly reducing administrative non-available Soldiers to maximize our Army’s combat power.” (Mailley, 2016). In another case study conducted by the United Kingdom (UK) armed forces they found, regardless of gender, the psychological symptoms in women are similar to men (Rona, 2007).
Physical Fitness
The way Physical fitness in women differ from men in some studies have shown that women may have an edge in some physical task because they have more body fat, burn it faster as energy early on in exertion and they could have better endurance then men (Carter, 2001).
The female body can withstand higher temperatures by slowing their metabolism less than men. (Eason, 2016). Although men have more muscle mass they also fatigue more easily than women do, possibly because women’s muscle groups share the load more efficiently according to a study done by the Journal of Applied Physiology (Clark, 2003). Women are known to be more
Women’s Military History
Women have been serving in the Military since the American Revolutionary War. However, most female’s roles were in the support of military …show more content…
medical services. Congress formally recognize women serving in the Army Nurse Corps with the Army Reorganization Act of 1901. (31 Stat. 753; February 2, 1901). With much needed manpower in 1942 World War 2 Congress created the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps to serve at noncombatant service. By the end of the war nearly 400,000 women have served in the armed services as members of the Army and Navy Nurse Corps, Women’s Army Corps, Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps. Following World War 2, women could not be assigned as members to a duty in aircraft engaged in combat and to vessels engaged in, or likely to be engaged in combat mission through the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 (Pub. L. No. 80-625, 1948). In 1978 the Women’s Army Corps was disestablished after the Army opened previously closed occupations including aviation formally a combat position to women. (Gender Issues, 1998). In 1988 DOD adopted the “risk rule” “excluded women from noncombat units or missions if the risks of exposure to direct combat, hostile fire or capture were equal to or greater than the risk in the units they supported.” (GAO/NSIAD-99-7 Gender Issues 1998 Oct). During Operations, Desert Shield and Desert Storm more than 500,000 troops deployed of them 40,000 servicewomen. Many working along their male colleagues and in leadership roles. After the Desert Storm Congress repealed the restriction of women flying an aircraft engaged in combat mission (Operation Desert Storm, 2017). During Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (OEF) over 200,000 women have been deployed to these regions (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2011). Many women in support of the OIF and OEF have been awarded for heroism, they have been prisoners of war (POW) and dying for their country. The highest award given was the Silver Star. In September 2015, the Army announced that the first two women graduated from Ranger school and in October 2015, the third female graduated (Michelle, 2015). As history repeats women continue to prove that they have a vital role with in the military. Now that women are allowed in combat units they will strive to be the best. As they have proven from the American Revolutionary War, Operations, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, OIF and OEF they deserve to choose whatever Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) they qualify for.
Opposing Women in Combat Units
It’s believed that the integration of women into combat units will encounter these problems: women’s health, physical fitness, sexual assault, gender-normed vs gender-neutral standards, and drafting of women into the military. With these current problems, how can the American people argue that women should be in combat units.
Women’s Health
Female Soldiers that become pregnant are exempt from training and combat deployments which hinders the unit’s readiness, they undergo psychological and physiological changes. Women’s menstruation cycles occur once a month, 3-7 days, they experience light bleeding, heavy bleeding, headaches, cramps, and sensitivity to light and a host of other issues. Females experiencing menopause can be an issue if treatment is unavailable. For the units training or deploying they will be one Soldier short which puts the mission at risk and increases stress on other soldiers in the unit. Studies have shown that women compared to men have significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety disorders including Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Hoge, 2007).
Physical Fitness
From a Physical fitness viewpoint, female Soldiers are four times more likely to sustain injuries during combat than male Soldiers are (Finestone, 2008). Do to the physiological differences the body composition for males and females are different some examples are muscle groups and bone structures are smaller than males (Frost H.M, 2003). The lung capacity of men is 25-30 percent greater than women. The heart size of a woman is 25 percent smaller than a male, making it easier for blood to pump through the body and women may fatigue faster than men (Wolchover, 2011). When in a combat or training environment it is a common belief that females will not be physically capable of performing exhausting details normally performed by men, especially while wearing a full battle kit? (Schaefer, N.D). Physically most females would take more time to move wounded than it would take males. The average female weighed down with full gear is at a disadvantage in overall physical ability to perform hand to hand combat against a male enemy opponent.
Sexual Assault
For many years Congress and Pentagon officials debated the possibility of sexual assault in combat units involving females.
Debates focused on the risk female Soldiers would face in captivity to include violent actions they may endure that males might not be subjected to. An example was Private First Class (PFC) Jessica Lynch, who was the only soldier raped and sodomized multiple times by enemy Iraqi insurgents. These actions alone cast a doubt of the idea of women serving in combat units. Whether in combat or garrison the sexual assault will be a problem. The Department of Defense (DOD) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 annual report on sexual assault in the military. In this report the DOD received 6,063 reports for sexual assault allegations involving service members (DOD Releases FY15 Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military. (n.d.). Retrieved, 2017).
Gender-Normed vs Gender-Neutral Standards
Gender-Normed standards is the currently the Army physical fitness testing standard. The minimum standards for an 18-year-old male, 42 push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and run two miles in under 15:54. 18-year-old Female 19 Push-ups, 53 sit-ups, and run two miles in under 18:54. With these standard males have to do 23 push-ups more, the same number of sit-ups, and run three minutes faster in the two-mile run. Some women meet the male minimum standards and score 100 points for 42 push-ups and 96 points for the two-mile run with a time of 15:54 (US Army Physical Fitness Test Scores (n.d.). Retrieved, 2017).
Draft
Senator John McCain sponsored “Draft America’s Daughters” (H.R.4478 -Act of 2016). Legislation requiring 18-year-old women to register with Selective Service. The bill passed in June, 2016 requiring all women turning 18 on or after Jan 1, 2018 to register with Selective Service (Steinhauer, 2016). Currently it will allow women to serve as combat replacements if a draft was activated how many civilian men or women would be capable of meeting the minimal physical qualifications for combat arms such as infantry.
Why Women should be in Combat Units Although women encounter many issues within the DOD. Women have been serving alongside combat arms units as pilots, truck drivers, and medics. All military branch’s will emplace policy’s and regulation to ensure that the integration of women to combat units are an effortless transition.
Women’s Health
Women’s health being a problem is no different than a male soldier on temporary profile. Soldiers on temporary profile may put the mission at risk and others will feel the stress. This doesn’t make a difference the mission will be at risk when you have members of the unit on temporary profile. A memorandum from the Army Chief of Staff, states “our goal is to improve personnel readiness by significantly reducing administrative non-available Soldiers to maximize our Army’s combat power.” (Mailley, 2016). In another case study conducted by the United Kingdom (UK) armed forces they found, regardless of gender, the psychological symptoms in women are similar to men (Rona, 2007).
Physical Fitness
The way Physical fitness in women differ from men in some studies have shown that women may have an edge in some physical task because they have more body fat, burn it faster as energy early on in exertion and they could have better endurance then men (Carter, 2001).
The female body can withstand higher temperatures by slowing their metabolism less than men. (Eason, 2016). Although men have more muscle mass they also fatigue more easily than women do, possibly because women’s muscle groups share the load more efficiently according to a study done by the Journal of Applied Physiology (Clark, 2003). Women are known to be more