Obama prepared to put Jane on the frontlines
Recent changes in policy to allow women to serve in combat roles has been called “distracting” by critics.
The Obama Administration has paved the way for women to be assigned to combat roles in the military. Some see this as just another step on the path to equality for women, while others view it as sacrificing the strength of the military on the altar of political correctness.
Tough — Countries such as Israel have women on the front lines. Israeli armed forces, Creative Commons
Neither side is correct. So long as the same physical standards remain for the military, few women will see active combat roles, and the strength of the military will not be threatened.
The reality is that while men and women are equal in intrinsic value, they still have physical differences. To pretend otherwise is to ignore obvious biological facts that need to be considered if women are to participate in combat situations.
To be clear, this is about frontline service. Women have served courageously and competently in many other parts of the military and have been placed in dangerous situations.
According to the Center for Military Readiness, more than 135 woman deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait have lost their lives since Sept. 11, 2001.
It is certainly ironic that liberals who often claim to be proponents of science are so willfully ignorant of it when trying to involve women in combat situations.
On average, men can carry more, lift more and are usually more physically fit than women. This is not sexism, it is the truth. Study after study has shown that, on average, men have nearly twice as much upper-body strength than women.
In war, soldiers will need to be able to carry or drag wounded comrades out of danger. They will have to travel long distances carrying heavy gear. It is impossible to ignore the importance of physical strength for soldiers on the frontlines.
The Washington Times reported that the Marine Corps has had little success in getting female recruits for their Infantry Officer Course — only two out of the 80 eligible female marines volunteered for it.
“Of the two female volunteers, one washed out on the first day, along with 26 of the 107 men, and the other dropped out two weeks later for medical reasons,” a Marine Corps spokesman told the Washington Times after the course concluded last November.
According to USA Today, military officials stated that while physical requirements will be reviewed, appropriate standards would remain. This does not mean that no women exist who are able to serve on the frontlines of the military. It does mean that they are the exception, not the rule.
As long as physical standards are kept the same, allowing women to join will not be a problem simply because few will, and those who do will be qualified. Since women already serve in other capacities, this will not be a completely radical change to how the military operates.
While there will be complications, it will be on a small scale, so it should not be damaging to the military.
If qualified women are willing to fight and die for our country, they should have that right.