Women in Combat? Why? (Part II)

An Infantryman's job is to go to the most hostile place on earth and kill people face to face. There's no other job like it. There's no job more physically or emotionally demanding. There's no other job that requires men to live on top of each other in dirty places for weeks and months on end under the restrictions of combat.

 

Dear God man. I don't know either of you, but can already tell she has a thicker skin than you. I just was reading and thought it would be funny. Wasn't trying to knock you into defense mode. LOL

 

I do not ever think about it. I do not really care as long as they keep it to themselves. There is only one man that is able to blend fantasy and reality.

I did not take it any other way and you never have to worry about offending me. Unless you start taking shots at the Seahawks or Canucks. Then fight's on, (*)(*)(*)(*)(*).

 

When you live with dudes 24/7 and go weeks and weeks without seeing any women you get that way. Plus, you're dealing with mostly 19-25 year old naturally aggressive men. Finally, if you hadn't noticed, women tend to "civilize" a group. I think you'll find all male football teams equally as crude. The only difference being they get to see women after practice.

 

How does the infantry get to "the most hostile places on Earth."

They walk?

 

Sorry, I call bull****. Everyone knows you steer clear of all Marine chicks and MOST Army chicks. Navy chicks are sometimes okay, and Air Force chicks are pretty much civilains so they're more than fair game (and they usually like Marines).

 

Women are combat pilots...
Do the presence of women as combat pilots affect the entire squadron?

The male pilot's in that squadron are therefore less apt to engage during a sortie?

 

I will say the guys on the ground usually like hearing a female voice over the comm.

 

I don't think Governor ever has to share a sleeping bag with a male squadron mate or take a water bottle shower while everyone watches. I had to do all that and more. If half my platoon was 20 year old women it would have been a lot bigger deal.

We had a female EOD tech come out on a raid with us for a three day clearing op once and it was a pain in the ass. It wasn't her fault, it's just that living out of your Humvee with 30 guys can be awkward.

 

My opinion of the Air Force just went up.

 

I have heard that one too...

At any rate, we have beaten this topic to death twice now. Maybe even three or four times- I did not count how many times it reset in the first thread.

 

We fly chartered airlines to the Middle East. Then jump on a Marine C-130 for a small hop. Then take Helos. Every once in a while we may jump on a big metal thing and cross a lake or two.

 

Nope. Pilots live seperately in nice conditions. They have seperate bathrooms/showers/beds etc. While I'm sure they're all friendly with each other, I doubt most of them have quite the "closeness" of grunts.

 

The point is that pilots fly in hostile territory too. You are not alone and you should not be. Not that taking fire in the air is the same as being shot at on the ground, but you act like what we do is rainbows and unicorns. Helo pilots are arguably the most badass people in the aviation community. Hands down. There are also some AF guys that drop your asses off without weapons to defend themselves. Be thankful, not arrogant.

 

Yup, and every 2 or 3 days some self-appointed expert civilain declares "women..equal standards...allowed blah blah blah."

 

Of course it should.

Women can be just as good in combat as any male soldier.

To assume otherwise means you are ignorant and/or sexist.


Btw - I am a man who served in my then country's military.

 

I never said any of that. I don't doubt flying at 30,000 feet with SAMs flying your way is extremely hostile. The only difference is that you don't live in that hostile enviornment 24/7 like combat arms do.....or see someone take an RPG to the chest 20 feet away. I gave a general list of why Infantry/CA is unique compared to any other military/civilain jobs. Obviously, some of my points taken individually apply to other professions, but not all of them.

 

We do a lot of low-level sorties too, but I hear you on it not being 24/7. I also understand that you see things with your own eyes, but it is not like our job is free of guilt and shock. Sometimes we find out we took the lives of young kids. No (*)(*)(*)(*) our jobs are very different, but there are more parallels than you seem to allow for.

Hahaha. It is like clockwork. Check 12.

 

I know that flying combat sorties has many...shall we say unpleasantries. I still don't think we can parallel the world's of a fighter pilot and Infantryman though. Herk asked what made Infantry "unique" from civilain/military jobs that allow women; I identified a list full.

 

There is NO comparison WHAT SO EVER between dropping a bomb on a faceless child compared to accidently killing one up close with a bullet from your own gun - and then probably seeing first hand the extreme grief on the faces of the child's parents/loved ones of the life you just mistakenly took. Sometimes spending many minutes at the 'scene' watching as more and more 'locals' find out what you did and watch their faces turn from confusion to pain to absolute and total hatred for you. And then having that face of that child - especially if they looked at you before they died - embedded on your brain for the rest of your life. Going to sleep every night wondering if that face will come to you in your dreams/nightmares. The dreams are the one's you apologize to him/her and they forgive you. The nightmares are the one's where they don't.


Live that life first and then say how many 'parallels' there are between the two.

 

Women pilot AH-64 Apache attack helicopters...
I guess to an infantryman that doesn't count as "real" combat either.

 

No, of course not. Combat is defined as shooting a friendly and then watching the locals react. Anything else is akin to clerical work. I do not even know why we get combat pay. We kill people for a living, but we are not "real" warriors because we do not stick around to watch people (*)(*)(*)(*) themselves.

 

Subside your emotional breakdown and cut the arrogant bullspit. Then reread the comments in this thread and approach me once you understand my point.

 

I'm resigning myself to the reality that we're all fobbits and remfs...

Seriously, I've had the unfortunate task of carrying the remains of some of our troops.
I fully understand and appreciate the sacrifices of our men and women...and the fact
that our ground troops have carried and are carrying the inordinate burden in these theaters (Afghanistan and Iraq). That's not just lip service..I FULLY appreciate them...

Just throw us a bone sometimes guys, we're here for YOU...our job is to get you HOME
ALIVE...and in ONE PIECE in a best case scenario..and to assist and support in accomplishing whatever missions you are tasked with while you're deployed; combat or otherwise.

 

Shack and well said. There is no saluting face icon thing, so settle for this:



No homo.