Sisters in Arms

Female Marines in Combat

I guess that today's submission is a little more serious and a little less funny than most, but it's something I have thought about a lot, and it's come up in the news lately.  I read in an article recently that four female service members are filing a lawsuit against the Secretary of Defense on the grounds that the policies of the Department of Defense unfairly prohibit women from serving in certain occupational fields in the military. 

Lawsuit (click the link to see the actual document)

The lawsuit contends that this prohibition inhibits the careers of women in the military, and violates their right to “serve on equal footing in defense of the nation.”  The further contention is that women “do not receive credit” for their actions in combat (referring to promotion and retention purposes).  I’m not exactly sure what this particular part means, since women can receive combat fitness reports the same as men do, but that’s what’s on the table.

S.W.A.N.

CBS News: Women Slowly Advance Into Combat Jobs

Christian Science Monitor: Women In Combat

Marine Corps Gazette: Women and Combat Can Mix

Now in recent history, there actually was an outright U.S. law against women in combat roles, that has been down-graded into a wish-washy admonition by Congress that the military must justify changing any policy to allow women in places where they have not traditionally been.  

 U.S. Code

So, it seems to me that the lawsuit wrongly addresses the blame for the policy onto the Secretary of Defense, rather than on Congress.  To me, this lawsuit smacks of trying to legislate from the bench, and that pisses me off a little.  Congress actually controls the military, in this little democracy we have here, by writing the laws that the military must follow.

The Way We're Supposed to Change Laws In This Country (click the link to see a bill actually being put forth in the congress about women in combat)

As the title of this blog indicates, I am probably going to hit you with my opinion.  Here it is (drum roll...): My opinion in this case is—fine, let women serve in any job within the military, under the condition that the standards be exactly the same as they stand now for men.  There should not be a reduction in the physical performance requirement, and there should not be a separate physical standard for women.

Here’s where the militant feminist types get upset.  They would say that requiring women to do the same physical tests that men do is unfair to women.  To which I say, “Who cares what you think?”  

This isn't about being fair.  The United States Marine Corps doesn't exist as an organization to make sure that its members get plenty of job satisfaction and opportunity for advancement.  It doesn't exist to uphold the moral high ground.  It exists to win battles.  Period.  

I get upset when people speak of the Marine Corps, or of the military in general, as if it is some sort of jobs program, or when they think it appropriate to push whatever social agenda they have.  We are here to protect democracy, not to practice it.  If a citizen brings something to the fight that helps us win, then we welcome him or her.  If not, then we squeeze him out.  

Women have played a vital role in accomplishing the mission for decades.  More like centuries.  I do not want to downplay their contribution in any way.  Women have been present on the battlefield since ancient times.  Plumbing is not the most important factor in determining a person's worth in combat.

But we have to be realistic, as well.  The military cannot afford to live in a make-believe world where we pretend that there is no difference between the sexes.  It is obvious to anyone with half a brain that there are some pretty important differences between men and women.  For instance, men are 100% less likely to get pregnant than women.  That's a scientific fact.  Go look it up.  

Viva la Difference

The tendency nowadays is to equate an acknowledgement of gender differences with racism, and that is just ludicrous.  It is a completely valid point to say that that the differences between an Asian man, a black man, and a white man are just superficial   It's only skin deep, as they say.  But the difference between a man and a woman goes all the way to the bone.  It is apparent at a very early age, and it is pretty much undeniable to any honest observer.

An article that takes a pretty drastic stand on just that point:  

Why Modern Feminism is Illogical, Unnecessary, and Evil

If a woman is strong enough to do the job, exactly the same as a man, then I agree completely that it is sexual discrimination to outright bar her from performing such work.  This is completely logical, right?  Not only is it logical, but women are already in combat areas.  They just aren't allowed in the direct combat units, like the infantry.

Lioness : Female Search Teams

It is logical to go ahead and take the next step, to put women in the infantry.  But sometimes, something called common sense must intervene.  Let's take a look at an example, the USMC Physical Fitness Test (PFT).  The minimum standard for a male Marine is that he perform 3 pull-ups, run 3 miles in 28 minutes, and perform 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes.  This is the minimum, and a Marine actually fails the test if he only gets the minimum score in all three areas.  Let’s focus on the pull-ups for a second.  Not many women I know, except for some pretty darn fit ones, can do many more than 3 dead hang pull-ups.  This is the minimum score, the amount that keeps the man from being thrown out of the Marine Corps.  You aren't impressing anybody in the Marines by doing 3 pull-ups.  A Marine that consistently was only able to muster 3 pull-ups would be labeled a shit-bird and would attract all sorts of negative attention.  He would be lucky to survive boot camp, and if he did, the next four years would be some long ones.  Not to mention he would be hard-pressed to do some of the physical tasks he would be expected to do if he were assigned to the infantry.  Things like climbing through a window wearing all his battle gear, for instance.

Marine Officer: Women Shouldn't Be In Infantry

This pull-up test is the requirement that some people will tell you is unfair, citing the obvious difference between the relative average upper body strength between men and women.  And they are RIGHT.  That fact is the thing that shoots their whole argument down.  The argument is that there is no reason why women 
shouldn’t be allowed to serve in the infantry, since they are as capable as their male counterparts; then in the next breath, they will explain that the same test cannot be used for both, as it would be unfair.  Someone please explain this to me.  Maybe I don’t get it because of my crude educational background.  I did graduate from a junior college with the word “agricultural” in the title (true story).

Marine Lieutenant in Infantry Officer Course

Female Lieutenants Flunk Marine Corps' Fierce Infantry Training

IN DEBATE OVER WOMEN IN COMBAT, TRUTH IS THE CASUALTY

Let’s look at another very physically-oriented occupation— professional football.  There is no rule or provision keeping women out of the NFL, that I know of.  It is not against any section of U.S. Code, nor is it against any state law.  Yet, how many women play in the National Football League?  The answer, of course, is zero.  And why is that?  Two reasons— #1: women, on average, tend to be smaller and weaker than men, and #2: women, on average, aren't interested in playing football.  The exact same forces are at work in the military. 

Most women graduating from high school and college are not daydreaming of trying to lead a bunch of smelly dudes up a mountainside while wearing 100 pounds of gear, shitting in a hole they dug, and going a month without a shower.  Of those that do daydream of such a thing, many cannot meet the physical demands.  Many men can't either.  Those with both the desire and the ability, however—I personally have no qualms at all about allowing them opportunity.  Just don't act so surprised when women don't run out in droves to take the positions.

I can't imagine why this isn't more popular with women...

Twenty years ago, I had a different opinion.  I used to be against gays in the military back then too, but I changed my stance.  You see, there is another factor at work here, and it is the most powerful one of all—the self-image of the 19-25 year old American male.  We need for these young Americans to see themselves as tough, dangerous, and bulletproof.  We need our possible enemies to see them the same way.  If men from that demographic can feel macho and manly about their job in spite of the presence of known homosexuals, then it really won’t matter that much if they are there.  And the attitudes of that demographic change over time, along with society.  Such was the case with allowing homosexuals to serve openly—it just ceased to be the huge deal it used to be.  When you talk to the individual Marines at the small-unit level, they were much less concerned with the idea of homosexuals than the high-ranking leadership was.  Don't get me wrong, it still caused some people to feel uncomfortable, but it didn't shatter the good order and discipline of the Marine Corps the way some thought it would.
(A little free advice: When writing about gays in the military, DO NOT do a Google image search of 'gay military.')  

Maybe the same could happen with women in the combat arms, but only if we make damn sure that we don’t water anything down for them.  Any time you try to social-engineer like that, you invite resentment.  Take a look at this paper, written by a male Marine, as proof. 

The Marine Corps PFT: Not Equal, Not Fair

If we are going to do this, we will need to recruit some seriously bad-ass women.  I know there are women who have this kind of strength.  If they want to do it, then more power to them.  But never get the idea that you or anyone else has the RIGHT to be in the military in whatever job you desire.  You don't.  You SERVE in the military, in the capacity that your nation requires, according to your aptitudes and abilities.  If you lack upper body strength, whether due to your lack of testicles or just due to unfortunate genetics, then maybe the infantry isn't for you.