Sounds similar to what many some religious groups use as a reason women must cover themselves -- because otherwise it might cause distraction for the men. Or what has been said about gays in the military, when in fact countless gays have served with honor. I believe the Israelis have shown woman can handle combat roles in co-ed situations and the men trust them to cover their backs.

 

I never said there wasn't a difference.

However, any argument that women are not effective in combat side by side with men have been disproven. The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine did a study which showed women do not negatively impact combat readiness. The Canadian and Danish armed forces lifted their bans after their own studies came to similar conclusions.

So necessity has shown women to be effective side by side with men in combat. Doesn't this prove my point? Much as necessity in WWII proved women were capable of taking on many of the jobs in the private sector men said they weren't suited for.

Take a look at our own history.... similar arguments about undermining unit cohesion, combat readiness, people treating the soldier differently, etc. were once made about racial integration. What it the black guy's fault, or the bias of those in a mixed unit he was in?

 

Again, I never said they weren't different. So, the question I pose is are they inferior soldiers because they are different?

 

Oh, and just to let you know... I am playing devil's advocate.

Personally I don't want to see women in combat. But that has to do with my sensibilities, the whole chivalry thing, but I don't have any real logical reasons they shouldn't be -- the data wouldn't back me up. Hope I explained that well. ??

 

Here's an interesting study about PTSD and the differences in Men and Women
http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/2013/April/PTSD-Study-Men-Versus-Women.asp

I have known private sector nurses and doctors (female) who work in trauma, emergency medicine, ICU, etc who also develop PTSD from their experiences. Once again, I think the treatment should fit the individual. When I was a kid, I watched a neighborhood boy pick up a firecracker that he thought was a dud. It went off while he was studying it, and lost his eyesight for life. The image is as clear today as it was then. I still hate the smell of firecrackers. My brothers were there too, but they don't even remember the kid, let alone the incident. Some people are affected differently by the same circumstance.

When I was stationed in Great Lakes for A school, the common name for the women's barracks was "Dikes Castle." I guess since most of the guys couldn't get any, they figured we were all lesbians. I personally don't care about peoples sexual preferences. That's your business, and I really don't need the details thanks. I don't think that should have anything to do with your ability to serve.