Pentagon Opens All Combat Positions to Women

[Frodo]

In historic decision, Pentagon chief opens all jobs in combat units to women

By Dan Lamothe
December 3 at 12:23 PM

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I still don't know if this is a good or bad idea, but having never been in the military and having no intention to, I have no right to comment on this. So I guess I'll say that this is good news and hope that my initial doubts are proven wrong.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Oh boy........

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I still don't know if this is a good or bad idea, but having never been in the military and having no intention to, I have no right to comment on this. So I guess I'll say that this is good news and hope that my initial doubts are proven wrong.

Sec of Defense Carter has never been in the military either and he has no problem overruling the Marines on this.

[The Free North]

This should have been left up to the troops, plain and simple.


If they want women to fight alongside them....go for it. If not...shove it.

[dead0man]

Good news, unless they lower the standards.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Good news, unless they lower the standards.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

This should have been left up to the troops, plain and simple.


If they want women to fight alongside them....go for it. If not...shove it.

I wonder what the polling amongst white military members were for desegregation?

[SteveRogers]

This should have been left up to the troops, plain and simple.


If they want women to fight alongside them....go for it. If not...shove it.

The military is not a democracy...

[Green Line]

Good news, unless they lower the standards.

[Bigby]

Good news, unless they lower the standards.

[publicunofficial]

This should have been left up to the troops, plain and simple.


If they want women to fight alongside them....go for it. If not...shove it.

The meatheads who make up our armed forces shouldn't decide policy, only strategy.

[Frodo]

As a point of reference, our just-announced policy is even more liberal than that of the Israeli Defense Forces.

[Mehmentum]

Thanks, Obama.

[Higgs]

Good news, unless they lower the standards.

This. If women can perform equally as well as men and pass the same tests then there is no reason they shouldn't be allowed to serve. I just really hope they don't lower any standards to force diversity, that puts people in danger.

[The_Doctor]

This is long overdue. Given the fact that robotics and advanced technology is making gender irrelevant to fighting wars, this is a welcome change. Women can handle the future of warfare just as well as men (maybe even better).

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

This is long overdue. Given the fact that robotics and advanced technology is making gender irrelevant to fighting wars.

No it's not.  The idea that we'll ever get rid of the need for boots on the ground is one that keeps recurring and keeps getting refuted.  There are, and likely will always be some military tasks that require pure physical strength.  The basic physiological differences between the genders ensure that there will be some tasks in which the proportion of personnel capable of doing them will skew towards males.  Even when technology causes the level of strength required to do certain tasks to decrease, it makes available new capabilities that previously were impossible to now be done by those at the highest level of physical strength.

That said, as long as they don't weaken the standards to promote gender equality in all military specialties, I have no problem with ending de jure restrictions.  Just don't expect there to not remain MOSes in which there are de facto restrictions.

[Ban my account ffs!]

This is long overdue. Given the fact that robotics and advanced technology is making gender irrelevant to fighting wars.

No it's not.  The idea that we'll ever get rid of the need for boots on the ground is one that keeps recurring and keeps getting refuted.  There are, and likely will always be some military tasks that require pure physical strength.  The basic physiological differences between the genders ensure that there will be some tasks in which the proportion of personnel capable of doing them will skew towards males.  Even when technology causes the level of strength required to do certain tasks to decrease, it makes available new capabilities that previously were impossible to now be done by those at the highest level of physical strength.

That said, as long as they don't weaken the standards to promote gender equality in all military specialties, I have no problem with ending de jure restrictions.  Just don't expect there to not remain MOSes in which there are de facto restrictions.

Nobody is arguing women should have 50% of every combat role.  They are arguing for allowing women the chance to do them, so long as they meet the standards.  Equality of opportunity... not outcome.  Conservatives should love this.

[Green Line]

This is long overdue. Given the fact that robotics and advanced technology is making gender irrelevant to fighting wars.

No it's not.  The idea that we'll ever get rid of the need for boots on the ground is one that keeps recurring and keeps getting refuted.  There are, and likely will always be some military tasks that require pure physical strength.  The basic physiological differences between the genders ensure that there will be some tasks in which the proportion of personnel capable of doing them will skew towards males.  Even when technology causes the level of strength required to do certain tasks to decrease, it makes available new capabilities that previously were impossible to now be done by those at the highest level of physical strength.

That said, as long as they don't weaken the standards to promote gender equality in all military specialties, I have no problem with ending de jure restrictions.  Just don't expect there to not remain MOSes in which there are de facto restrictions.

Nobody is arguing women should have 50% of every combat role.  They are arguing for allowing women the chance to do them, so long as they meet the standards.  Equality of opportunity... not outcome.  Conservatives should love this.

We do!

[The Dowager Mod]

About time.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I have no faith in the military brass to get his done right........

[The Dowager Mod]

I have no faith in the military brass to get his done right........

Shame I never had the chance.

[publicunofficial]

I have no faith in the military brass to get his done right........

The same was said in the wake of DADT repeal, and that went over fairly smoothly.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

No t that I think a military draft is ever going to be likely again, but with this change, the military is considering asking Congress to change the draft to include women, since one of the arguments against drafting women will soon be gone.  There are also a couple of lawsuits on the issue, but I doubt they'd get anywhere, especially with the current SCOTUS.

Still, if the draft is opened up to females, that will remove one of the major stumbling blocks to the ERA the first time it was sent to the States.  It might soon be time to try again. If nothing else, the attempt would force Republicans to go on the record as being opposed to equal rights for women if they attempt to block it.

[tik 🪀✨]

I have no faith in the military brass to get his done right........

As I don't much about how the military operates, I don't really understand what you mean by this. Do you (or someone else who might understand) mind elaborating?