The integration of women in

combat arms jobs

By: Brooke Ballagh
RWS 1301
BOOM!!! The ground shakes and my convoy comes to a
Stop. Then I hear one of my soldiers call out Medic. I
Instinctively grab my medic bag and security detail and head out
Of the
truck. Upon reaching the casualty I immediately notice that one of
His legs is no longer attached to his body. At that point I go into medic mode to
save my brother in arms. Do you think the fact that I was a female ever really
crossed his mind? Probably not.
The Combat Exclusion Policy is a U.S. congressional policy based on a 1988
Department of Defense restriction on womens military service that created the
Risk Rule for assignment of women in the military, preventing women from
being assigned to units that had the risk of exposure to direct combat, hostile fire,
or capture. The policy has been revised over the past 24 years but still precludes
women from being assigned to direct ground combat units. (Hay, 2012)
As members of the profession of arms, we must objectively and dispassionately
consider how best to improve the practice of our profession. Romantic or
emotional attachment to tradition must not prevent us from doing what is best to
prepare the force to achieve victory. The scope of war has drastically changed
over the past two decades. Mission accomplishment depends on female service
member participation now. Women are being recruited specifically because of
their gender for Cultural Support Teams in Afghanistan. Due to cultural
differences, the all-male units that go into remote villages are unable to interact
with women. These women on the Cultural Support Teams do what their male
counterparts are unable to so do such as conducting female searches or engaging
the female population to gather intel. (Summers, 2013)
Although women assigned to the Cultural Support Teams are training for and
conduction the missions with their male counterparts, they are not able to receive
the same recognition as their fellow male counterparts as holding an official
position in the Special Forces.
Not until this ban is completely lifted will the military be able to establish a level
playing field for qualified women to enter all military positions and specialties,
which will greatly impact the realities and necessities of modern day warfare. The
Department of Defense needs to develop gender-neutral physical requirements for
specific jobs and let those requirements weed out unqualified candidates,
regardless of gender. (Hay, 2012)

References
Hay, Lani. (2012). Women in special forces: The debate on combat exclusion.
Diplomatic Couriers May/June Edition
Summers, C. H. (2013). Women. Military Review, 93(4), 71-78