Women in front line combat roles in Australian Defence Force

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Just wondering what people on this forum think of finally allowing women into real frontline combat roles within the Australian Defence Forces?

Why is it taking so long to give it the final green light?

If male personel can be readily exposed to the highest life risking roles to backup Australia's often questionable foreign policy, why not women too?

Is this not the ultimate inequality?

Thoughts?

Mike

[Suzy_A]

What's this got to do with astronomy (or science in general)?

Apart from that, the ADF is a very conservative and risk-adverse organisation. They are too scared of doing anything that might reflect badly on them by their political (and incompetent) masters.

There are no women in combat roles as they see this as the lesser evil of two politically undesirable choices - either having no women in combat roles; or having women in combat roles that might be captured (and naughty things done to them) by the enemy.

Private whats-her-face from the US Army who was captured a few years back by the Iraqis is the perfect example. She is still regularly in the news.

[leinad (Dan)]

Inequality? More like moral insanity.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4187621.ece
2cents.

[CoombellKid]

Originally Posted by Suzy_A

Private whats-her-face from the US Army who was captured a few years back by the Iraqis is the perfect example. She is still regularly in the news.

She is in the news regularly not because she was captured, but because
she was used as a media football. The iraqi doctor treating her tried to
deliver her back to a local US check point in an ambulance to boot, twice!
but the US Army wouldn't except her. They wait until most of the iraqi
insurgency had left the hospital and then went in with camera crews. To
tell you the truth I felt sorry for her.

I think you also have to get off the sexist view of why we dont have
women in combat roles. If it were that simple you would of had women in
combat roles right after they threw their bras away in the 60's.

regards,CS

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

If it is within a women's physical capabilities to serve on the "Front Line", why not?
But, I don't think that it should be compulsary. It should be up to the individual.
If you are serving overseas, eg Iraq, no matter what unit you're in, or what job you do in it, there is always the chance that you'll be caught up in Combat anyway. Just because you're a requisitions clerk doesn't mean the enemy doesn't want to kill you.

On the other hand though...
I've always thought that a battalion of 1200 women all with PMS could win any war before lunch time.

[renormalised (Carl)]

I've always thought that a battalion of 1200 women all with PMS could win any war before lunch time.

That would be classed as a weapon of mass destruction!!!!

Worse than any nuclear weapon!!!

[ving (David)]

lol jeanette!

why the hell not tho... meanig no disrespect at all but are they any less expendable?

[JimmyH155]

They threw their bras away in the 60's because they wanted liberation. What they ended up with was equality, So why not serve in the front line if they want. My son is a submariner and I spent an amazing day aboard a submarine out of Garden Island. There were several women on board - Steward, Able Seaman and a Comms person. Every body go on well and I asked my son what he thought, and he said women are perfectly acceptable - no worries. My daughter-in-law, whilst not exactly in the front line was on the Bridge of the Westralia, when that terrible fire occurred. Although she was only a junior Officer, and took no part in any decision making, she witnessed the whole sad saga and did not fall apart. Women in the forces - no problems

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Remember the "Resistance Movements" of WW2?
Fought mainly by the women, children and those of the men deemed to old or infirm to soldier.
The risks they took were just as dangerous as any faced by the military.
Their bravery in the face of the enemy deserves the highest of honours.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Some of them did.....Nancy Wake, for example. She's got enough medals to start her own scrap metal business!!!!.

[madtuna (Steve)]

The problem is not whether women are up to the task of serving in combat roles, the problem is overcoming the inherent male thought process that says they are not

[h0ughy (David)]

guys I think we are in the front line everyday when we go home to the missus - and dodge the spray. I would prefer no action either way, but we do not live in an ideal world.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

I can see a couple of reasons why not.

• Suffering female casualties would be much more politically damaging. Males are more expendable.
• Emotional ties in mixed gender units. Imagine under fire having to rely on a person more concerned about the safety of their lover than the person next to them

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

On the other hand though...
I've always thought that a battalion of 1200 women all with PMS could win any war before lunch time.

But would they accept orders?

[CoombellKid]

Originally Posted by Starkler

But would they accept orders?

Yup! they would just depends on how you give it....

It was those guys way over there, that left the toilet seat up/down or whatever it is

regards,CS

[CoombellKid]

I think to in a man world (as it were) pre 60's. A lot of the vets who have
been through heavy combat, probably know too well about the quiet
casulties of war... women and children. But particularly how women have
been treated. Women just like our mothers, sisters and aunties. And I
suppose if you were to view from their eyes you may well see why it has
a hard topic. Whether you think it's sexist for me to say but it's probably
more the reality. Men I suppose were good for war as like most women
say we have no emotions. Doesn't mean to say we dont quietly suffer.

regards,CS

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by CoombellKid

Yup! they would just depends on how you give it....

It was those guys way over there, that left the toilet seat up/down or whatever it is

regards,CS

I can image the commander firing them up before battle.

"You know what the enemy are calling us? The RAR fat-ar$es".
"Go get em girls!"

Sorry couldnt resist

[xelasnave]

Equality is something we can talk about but it be a difficult creature to find in your back yard.

Equality of wealth, social status, economic status or the equality of facing death is an illusion.

Dont get sucked in girls it is a load of crap ...in fact boys dont get sucked in for the same reason.

Offerring your life to support values and goals unknown to your reality and circumstance is stupid so if that is your bag demand the right to offer your life for others agendas...but dont think for one moment in so doing you are somehow now more equal.

alex

[merlin8r]

One thing to consider, and this isn't an equality issue, is how male soldiers would react seeing a female comrade fall in battle.
This isn't just how I would react personally, the Soviet forces found it to be a very real issue during WW2. Male soldiers would often linger over the bodies of their female comrades, and yes more so than another male. We can't help it, it's just programmed into us to protect the womenfolk.

[xelasnave]

Indeed we are programmed to protect the ladies.
However maybe if there were ladies at the front the many massacres of innocent civilians we are forced to endure could be minimised as hopefully a lady may have better decency than so many men have shown is absent in their waging war... maybe the rapes of those poor unfortunate females in a war zone could be reduced .... maybe maybe maybe...why have a war anyways.. All the wars I have lived thru were nonsense... the current one has nothing to do with us thank goodness we will leave it behind.
alex