Is San Diego serious? The military was one of the first institutions in America to be racially integrated and has long been seen as a staunch proponent of equal rights in regard to race and ethnicity.

Wow, there San Diego.  I find your comment to be not only malicious but way over the line.  I was not going to post anything until I hit this very last comment.  How dare you sit in front of your computer and say that "those in the American military are inherently less intelligent and uneducated."?  Do you understand that those "less intelligent and uneducated" people put their lives on the line on a daily basis so you can sit and home and watch tv?  I happen to be enlisted military (and a female) serving in an overseas location.  I am highly intelligent and very well educated.  I am surrounded by others who are intelligent and educated.  Furthermore, the military prides themselves on providing for our education.  Even serving overseas, the military makes sure that EVERY soldier has access to higher education and has every opportunity to better ourselves whenever the mission allows for it.  Maybe you need to spend some time around some of the military folks you are so close to in San Diego, and get a real look at what the small percentage of people in this nation who do get off their lazy rears and stand up are all about.  You are probably in that huge group of Americans who would never even dream of doing what we do.  Find out who we are before you begin bashing us.

Maj Clarkson makes me proud to call myself an American.

Isreal during the 1970's learned that it was dangerous to male troops to have women in the front line.  What was learned, according to Israel soldiers that men would take greater chances to protect their women counter-parts.  That is when they decided that they should not be in front line positions.

Women have been on the front lines from the start of civilization. We in America simply refuse to see it or afraid to admit to it. US bombed German cities in WWII. Do not tell me there were no women in those cities. Germany bombed London and many other cities, there were women in them. Armies have attacked cities from the start and no army to my knowledge has ever let the women and children leave before the attack. History is filled with women fighting on the walls of cities, in the fields being attacked, villages being attack etc. Get real America, women will fight just as good as men, being 'Precious' has nothing to do with someone wanting to kill them because they have what the attacker wants.

San Diego is a moron and I would be happy to compare any measure of intellect he/she would like to evaluate.  1500 SAT/32 ACT before they dumbed it down, well before I'm sure he/she took them if at all.  I would suggest that he/she remain celibate so as not to further dilute the gene pool with his/her asinine comments.

Look up "IDIOT" in the dictionary and there will be Miss? "San Diego". Boy, talk about showing ignorance. Anyway, I got a kick out of the "was in a firefight flying over..".

Why put American woman on the front line?
Brake a nail and cry about it. You selfish can never solve your problems instead you make more. GO ahead and put woman in the frontline. Your country will turn around and debate it forever and ever and where you people be then? America talks smack about everyone else in the world But look at yourselves. America dosent even have a stable government. People hate the governmeny. High Crime. High Death. What do the American Youth see? Hate and Despair? What shall America be in what say 20 to 50 years.

hahaha that American Boy Sean from wherever.

The American Media is its own downfall. Media is what posions the Americans into thinking Bush your leader is sooo bad. Tsk. Media is what brought you Americans to be hated by most of us world. But yet you think media should be able to freely run in a society that knows little? Citizens turn to the Media for answers. What does the Media give? Their own edited version. A version that should get the most views and that will bring the most money in. How about Canada. Time to time I have seen and heard Americans trash talking Canada. To me Canada is in fact a better country. Less Death. Less Crime. All around better people. Canada is fighting American battles. I am not American or British or Canadian. I do not wake up in the morning and go to work or school. I dont have a family who will be there for better or for worse. America open your eyes. Why dont you realize what you have done. You have ensured your own downfall. The politicians should take away the rights of their own Media. America has too much freedom. And it reflects on the rest of the world

I trained with Special Forces a couple of weeks ago on a live fire convoy excercise and between runs on the range found out that these hard chargers often work with women in combat situations. Granted, her mos isn't specifically combat, but she's sure as heck a target when haji starts taking pot shots. These women include mos's in the chemical corps, human resources and journalists. When the sh!t hits the fan, these women pull out a weapon and shoot back.

As to drawing lines, my unit had an Iraqi soldier blow himself up in the chow hall, killing several and wounding many. You don't even have to step outside of the wire to see death.

This is not our fathers war. Nor are we the women of a bygone era.

I think this woman has guts to be there and do her duty to our soldiers.  She is doing her part without regard to her safety and giving a soothing hand to those who need it when their own mothers, wives and sisters are not there to provide it.  As for women in combat, I have 3 daughters and I am not ready to see them placed in harm's way.  It is their perogative to join and I will support them but I would pray for their continued safety every day.  My family knew PFC Lori Piestewa's family and we've seen what her death had done to her family and community.  Although they're proud of their daughter, all the attention they've received since her death, does not dismiss the fact that they would give anything to have her back in their loving arms.    

To anon from San Diego,

You obviously have never been in the military. You, quite simply, have no idea what you are talking about. Until such time as you do, please do those of us that are protecting your constitutional rights a favor and keep your simple minded ideas to yourself.

"San Diego" is an obvious moron, and I'm guessing he hasn't served in the military, otherwise he wouldn't make such a ridiculous statement.  The US military is composed of a cross-section of the entire society, of which he is, unfortunately, a part.  Semper Fi!

As for women in a combat position, all physical weaknesses and emotional differences aside, its not acceptable to my male mind that a woman should be killed or, god forbid, captured.  The enemy has no respect for women, and her depredations endured would be severe.  Why put any woman in harms way?  A male is, generally, a better choice to get the job done.  That job is simply to close with and destroy the enemy, not to use the military as a social-engineering laboratory.

MJR Clarkson is doing a very necessary job in her present capacity;  and she, like all our forces, should be appreciated for the sacrifices that are being made on a daily basis.  But to profile her for the in-your-face purpose of making a political statement is NOT objective journalism.  The subject of women in direct combat roles should be tabled in a forum of articles presented expressly for that purpose;  to do other than that, e.g. hiding an agenda in what should be a positive article, denigrates soldiers like MJR Clarkson and relegates them to the background of the story.  I would be ashamed to be the editor who allowed this story to be forwarded as is.

As for women in combative roles:  ONE standard of fitness and performance, regardless of gender.  Combat is non-discriminitory.  Man or woman, if you can't do the job, you don't belong there.

Ah, let the men go get killed if they are so insistant on keeping the combat zone for men only...leaves more of the country for us. The thing is, both women and men have the same emotions, but the degree varies from person to person, even within the same gender. We all love. We all hate. We all nurture. We are all aggressive. Being aggressive is contrary to a woman's nature? Huh? What century are you living in and which decade was your psychology book written because you are SO out of touch with who and what we are now. We are TELLING you yet you refuse to listen, or hear only what you want to. We are here and we are NOT going away.

As a member of the military I am appalled at the statement made by San Diego. Perhaps you don't realize that all our officers and many enlisted  have college degrees and are more educated than you. I in fact work with one with a degree from Harvard, certainly not from the "limited minds of the lower class that make up the military" that you describe.

I agree with some of the posters who said that being a medic flying over the fight is not nearly the same as being down in the fight. While I am completely competant to carry out my job as a medic I don't feel I would be able to carry out the job of a Ranger or similar MOS. That does not mean however that no woman can. For those who say that women are physically weaker I ask this, most asian men are physically smaller than caucasian or Black men. In fact many Asian men are the same physical size as caucasian or Black women. Does that mean they should not be allowed to serve either? If we are talking strictly physical size as a generality any group of people who average smaller or weaker should be excluded.

 I hope you can see how generalities are not working, rather than focus on what the group in general is like, why don't we focus on the individuals and what they can do. Allow women to complete the training with the same standard as a man would have and we'll see how they do. Not every woman could do it, shoot not all men can do it. It's an individual ability not a group and to exclude all members of a group because some can't is insane.

all emotions and no practical value!  as women slowly take over the country's political and managerial functions, it's an excellent idea to fill as many combat missions with women as possible without exception.  that would include eliminating all those other exceptions and previledges when not in combat.

women being on combat lines yea right and Im a woman!!! my husband is in the army and in iraq right now in that same unit!!!!! In my opinion the only job women need is medics, personnel, and administarative. Men are physically  able to do what women cannot, and on top of that what if one got captured does the world and AMERICA really wanna watch her ger raped and hung or worse on TV???? come on now common sense

San Diego, Funny how you mention where your from, but do not want to disclose you name although people are at war for you to have the right to that privacy.. as well as the right to say the malicious and historically untrue ideas that your mind created about "limited minds and lower class" people in the army.  How do you think the computer your typing on got started.. the ARMY.. Wake up from your LIBERAL COMA and participate in society by being real and humble and accepting that you could not come close to enduring what soldiers endure; how they love life because they are giving a gift that any man or woman deserves... and that is Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.  ...I have met Engineers that have developed whole underground sewer systems and computer techs that develop software and mechanics that can repair any piece of equipment that is in front of them in the Army.. Can you say anymore than, "I can type this without spelling or grammatical errors."  It is the loyalty of soldiers to soldiers and Americans and the preservation of our history that the Army delivers.  Again, take a hard look at what you say about people that you obviously do not know..It is disappointing to see someone so "intellectual" as yourself, say that the military are less intelligent and uneducated because you read it in San Diego newspaper.

I do commend MAJ Clarkson and all of the others in Iraq. But the rest of this comment goes to 'San Diego'- what planet do you live on pal? Todays American military is MORE intelligent and BETTER educated than the military of 10 to 15 years ago! They have to be, to contend with the 'new' style of combat they are facing. I hear all the hype about Iraq being compared to Vietnam and how the military lost over there. Bad news, pal: the military didn't lose in Vietnam, the politicians lost by tying the hands of the military to keep them from doing their job. There are enlisted people with college degrees, getting shot at day in and day out-intelligent and educated men and women. You need to do some further studying and research and I can almost bet that you have never served in the military, right? Have you ever been in a knock-down drag-out firefight, with a nurse a matter of feet from you, giving her share of fire support with an M-16? A nurse just as scared and terrified as the rest of us. Talk to some nurses that served in Pleiku, Khe Sanh, Danang, in the Mekong Delta. Look at the names of the nurses on The Wall in Washington, that died while fighting alongside the everyday foot soldier.  

I see, San Diego.  I'm assuming that you are, in fact, one of the educated and intelligent persons who DO contribute to society.  I could be wrong.  Regardless, for all of your intelligence, education, and contributions to society, you were unable to comprehend the main ideas of the comments preceding yours.  Very few of the people leaving response comments denied that, "a woman might perhaps prove equal in ability to a man." Key words from that quote (your quote,incidently): woman, might, perhaps, prove, equal, and man.  Might? Perhaps? Perhaps you might reread these comments and realize that most of the responders (including those who serve in the military) agree with your 'perhaps' and 'might'.  The majority of people I have served with will and do agree that capable females do exist in the military; and we would gladly serve with these capable women in infantry, armor, or other combat arms roles.  In my experience, the civilians I speak with tend towards the opposite pole.  Lets look at your next weak statement: I believe women deserve equal treatment.  Deserve? Deserve has very little to do with life.  Even the most undereducated and untintelligent cog knows that.  Either one person IS equal to the next, or they are NOT.  By proclaiming your belief that women deserve equal treatment (WARNING: INCOMING ASSUMPTION), I suppose you also believe women ARE equal to men, specifically in those attributes that apply to the present subject of discussion.  Come on, San Diego.  You're smarter than that.  Following your reasoning (women deserve equal treatment...), genders should always be mixed in every activity, occupation, organization, group, etc.  Let's take your reasoning one step further: Every person is equal, in all aspects, to everyone else.  This assumption is, of course, based on the belief that everyone deserves equal treatment (a belief to which you certainly subscribe, right?).  Do you truly believe all categories of people are inherently equal in all possible aspects?  That's not very intelligent, San Diego.  That's not very 'educated' of you, either.  I'm feel sorry for you, San Diego. Sometimes I wish, as you wish, that each of us was as capable as the next.  I sometimes wish all people were completely equal in their attributes, qualities, abilities, motivations, and desires.  Alas, it is simply not a reality.  
  Listen, kid.  I (and most of my brethren) will agree upon certain points: Women exhist who are capable of executing the most demanding of combat arms tasks and duties.  Should those women be given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform? I think yes. Should the measurement of their ability ( for equality's sake, San Diego ) be held at the same standard as that of a male? I think yes.  It really is not a complex social issue, accepting the possiblity that a woman might perhaps be equal to a man.  Most of us have accepted that.  And it is not a complex social issue, accepting that all people are inherently equal, in totality.  Some women are capable. Hell, many women may be capable. But let us generalize (maliciously or not): Most aren't as capable as most men. It's that 'bell' curve, San Diego.
  Check it out, San Diego.  The demands of performing competently in the combat arms professions require a person to meet certain physical, emotional, and psychological requirements.  Until both genders are held to the same standards of measurement of those categorical requirements, that deserved equal treatment you champion cannot possibly be realized.  This is real: Females are measured on a separate physical barometer in all facets of life, both in and out of the military.  Call that view limited, unintelligent, and undereducated, but call it reality.  
  And finally, this:  I entered military service after obtaining two four-year degrees. I also worked as both a mental health provider and a provider of wealth management and financial advisory services over a span of 7 years before joining the service.  In doing so, I do believe I contributed somewhat to the lives of (at least) a few of those around me in a positive manner.  In those past 7 years, I had the pleasure of working with many dedicated, highly motivated, highly intelligent, kind, loving people. However, upon joining the service, I have met countless people who take these qualities to new levels, beyond comparison to those with whom I worked previous to my service.  Never have I met more motivated, dedicated, sharp, selfless, courageous, loyal, and intelligent people. Make no mistake: There are people in the military whos aptitude for learning is not high ( I mean they are stupid, but I'm being diplomatic).  But those most intelligent and productive people I have ever known are in the service.  It's that dreaded bell curve again, San Diego.  Again, I treasure my experience in civilian life.  But the best and brightest I have met have been in the military.  I can truly speak on the subject intelligently, passionately, AND objectively. Can you say the same?  I'm sure you can.  Re-read the comments, San Diego. Pay attention this time.  Talk to more military personal to obtain a more accurate picture of their thoughts and feelings on the subject.  Equality can be a good thing, San Diego.  But 'deserve' is a word that, unfortunately, doesn't mean much.  Equality is a mathematical property, not a reality.  People are not always equal, and subsequently, cannot and should not be treated as being equal in every single, possible aspect.  This is, of course, a generalization...but not a malicious one.

As a veteran of the irqi war, i served from 2003 to 2004, it is not that women should not be in the front line. if that is what they aspire for, then equal opportunity for them. having said that, there would be a double standard put into place, as i would say that at least 95 percent of military women would not qualify for the position or endure the training for special forces or ranger or any combat unit. the idiot above who says that it is the lower class that make up the military, think again

Sean:
You might want to understand the mechanics of the declaration of war. The fact that war has been declared by congress, does not (and I will say it again)does not constitute an automatic draft. We as you might recall have an "all volunteer fighting force". Only if it became vitally necessary, would a draft be issued. Now, you can thank Bill Clinton in his infinite wisdom (would be someone who couldn't hack the military and ran) for restructuring the way our military looks today. If you recall in Desert Storm, we had close to if not damn near 500,000 troops in theatre and we had the most versatile and mobile force ever during those times. In addition, we still had hundreds of thousands of military personnel here at home. Now, due to the Military Airlift Command (MAC), Strategic Air Command (SAC) and the Tactical Air Command (TAC) being totally downsized and desimated to one single unit, the Air Mobility Command, we are not the same although still very lethal. Lastly, for anyone to say that this war is not necessary, Saddam had met with terrorists many times and it has been documented by his own people in his regime. That man would have if given the time, monetarily funded an attack here on our soil. There is a reason why we have not been attacked in six years, cause we are taking it to them.
God bless the troops, our commander-in-chief and God bless America!!!

God bless you, you are doing a wonderfull job.
I'm prior service myself (Navy).
If you need anything to help you do your job better,
email me and let me know, and I'll do what I can to
get it to you.

"Those in the American military are inherently less intelligent and uneducated." - San Diego, friday, August 31, 2007 8:24pm

I applaud the efforts of the Soldiers, whether male or female.  They are fighting in a conflict, which Congress won't call a War, and thus are being constrained not only by the world's opinions and their own morals, but by the members of Congress who don't see fit to give full support.  

It is true, the enemy doesn't care whether or not you are male or female.  The policy of gender and combat roles in the military does in fact need to be fixed.  However, the above quote and the comment that followed (along with its argument and reasoning) is out dated and the person who wrote that comment should be ashamed.

The modern American Military is filled with more college attending or college graduates then ever before.  Furthermore, stating that members in the military have little to contribute to society, is cowardly.  They are contributing, by shedding their blood.  Granted, there will always be low lives of any organization, but to say that the members of our military are inept at accepting equality or any other moral stance is a blatant lie.

Yes, women deserve equal treatment, since I'm assuming that we are all human beings, but to say that our military is 'lower class' is, for lack of better words, retarded.

Get your head out of the past, look at the present, and then do something productive.  Your 'reality' is outdated.  I suggest you fix it.

I am a female age 26 and have been in the military for 2 years. I am currently a driver for a Personal Security Detail that is constanty out and about in Iraq. The males i work with have NO PROBLEM with me as a driver so i see no reason for any of those at home to have a problem with me over here fighting in combat so that others can have their freedom. I know we are not the same, males and females, but i never want to be the same as a male. I just want to do my part for my country and wish others felt the same way. And to those of you that support the troops...God bless you all, it means the world to us over here!

San Diego,  How insulting! Are you serious?  Do you really consider yourself a member of the 'upper class' when you think this way?  Perhaps you might be financially, but you are definately not mentally. "i don't mean to be particularly malicious, but it is reality."  Please, I think the only thing that "is inherently less intelligent and uneducated" here is you.

Moving on....

NPR ran an interesting article earlier this month about women in combat.  It wasn't as rosy as this one.  THey had some interesting facts to share as well:  More women than men have ptsd and have it more severely when they leave the military. Why?  Because women cannot handle seeing trauma as well as men. Also, more women than men, in an actual combat situations, choke under pressure and can't fire their weapon, thereby putting their comrades in danger.  Also, men get much more upset if a woman comes under attack and then they make less rational descisions.  The urge to protect the weaker sex kicks in and they stop thinking about what they should be doing.

Add to this the fact that the military requires less physical fitness for women and you would just get a disaster.  

I totally agree with anonymous in ft. benning, ga.  If women can meet the EXACT same standards (without them being lowered to allow for women) as the men, then ok, it should be considered.  But, as combat isn't just physical, but mental as well, and we aren't just talking about what the women want, but what's actually best for the group as a WHOLE, then other factors as listed above must be seriously weighed.  

I was sorry to see this piece be such a one-sided feminist adgenda push.  Very sad.  I was also sorry to see how many people only see this as a feminist issue and not a reality issue.  Meaning: it's one thing to scream for 'equality' it's another to actually take a step back, look at the FACTS and realize the system exists as it does for many good reasons, not just to offend feminists.
 

Thoughts from a mom who has had two children go to Iraq.  One a female one a male.  I have seen first hand how each has come home Forever changed!  Situations for each were very different before leaving and may have played a role in what they came back as.  My son came home on leave and married his sweetheart,served his time and is now enrolled in college and working full time and enjoying the honeymoon.  My daughter on the other hand has not fared up as well.  Eight months prior to deployment she lost her sweetheart to cancer (my son-in-law was 30 days away from his 22nd. B-day) they knew each since kindergarden.  If that were not enough to deal with she left her then 15 month old child for us to care for.  Personally I do not believe that she was physically or emotionally able.  While on one of her runs they were ambushed and she was injured.  The female driver was UNABLE to get the vehicle to go into reverse to get back to the base they had left 20 min. prior.  They could not go forward because there were semi's blocking their path.  Then their 50 cal jammed(hope I said that correct, just a mom not a soldier).  My daughter was hit in the neck and said that she began to pray(while she was still shooting with one hand that gave her flash burns on her face)that God would take them quickly, that none would suffer and that none would become prisoners.  Now is a good enough time if any to let someone know that she had been injured,she thought. One of the young men that were in the gunner box seen all the blood and reacted, maybe I should say that again HE REACTED!  He wasn't crying, he didn't freeze up but he jumped out of the vehicle pushed the crying female soldier over and started ramming the gears with all of that upper body strength that God gave to most males NOT females and low and behold he was able to get that vehicle turned around and get my child to safety!  I thank God for that MALE SOLDIER, I believe with all of my heart that he saved all four of them that day.  I do not believe if there had been four woman in that vehicle that they would have done as well.  I mean no disrespect to any female in the world but lets be honest.  If you were in a burning building on the 10th. floor and had to use the stairs trying to carry two small children to safety and your husband was still up there passed out from the smoke... What is the last thing that you would want to see?  For me it would be a 120 lb. female fire fighter going to try and rescue my 250lb. husband!  I think that I would hand her the kids and tell her that I would get this one myself at least I would have love(hope he didn't make me mad at him before the fire)and adrenalin working in my favor!  How about the surgeon about to do surgery on you or a loved one, do you really want the one that was aloud to pass because they were given permission to score a percentage lower than the standards.  Not me!  When my children were younger I used to stack the deck in their favor to encourage them.  I would have never sent them out to handle any situation without giving them every tool available and knowing that they were able to handle a situation within their mental and physical capabilities.  Lowering standards for females verses their male counterparts,I feel, is not only putting them in danger but every person that is in the situation with them.  I know,I know, you have heard about men freezing up or unable to cope and that you personally can or know of a female that you would want to cover your back.  I know a few men that I can arm wrestle and take to the ground and I bet that they wouldn't make the grade to get into the service either but they probably could have if they would have tested them on the same scale as the females.  We were not created the same!  Maybe there are a few females who could pass on the same scale as the men, GREAT!  How fair is it to these men though, if we distract them in anyway, meaning to... or not.  My daughter is not the same and I have told her on several occasions that could she please let me see that very warm and loving person I once knew.  When she left she was a very strong woman, had a good sence of humor, a very caring person and able to handle herself.  Since she has been home she has no parenting skills, is confused, forgets everything, is very very angry,and can't seem to do anything unless it is spelled out for her.  Our grandson quit talking a month after she left.  He went to her room every night up to that point and banged on her door screaming and crying to the point of hysterics.  His grandfather nor myself could comfort him.  About an hour later he would just collapse on the floor from sheer exhaustion.  After a few weeks of this there were no more tears,at all,not even when he was hurt.  He kept everything inside and never said a word for eight months.  He is almost five and is just now starting to come back to us.  What are we creating?  Is this Pandora's box really worth opening?  As a wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother and a very proud mom of two soldiers: if I knew then what I know now I would have done everything and anything to discouraged my daughter from ever joining the service.                  

Major Erica Clarkson is an honor to this country serving in the Middle East.  She is particularly valuable in demonstrating the equality of women in a land that seems to keep women hidden and don't cherish their wonderful giftedness in most areas of life.

It was nice to see an article on women in the military. My daughter has been in the Marine Corps for about five yrs now, she re-enlisted last year and was just sent to Iraq last month. I have heard there are not many women over there so she gets lonely too..

Just to alleviate any further speculation about my background, while I may be an O-5 and am now a physician, I spent the first seven of my over twenty years in the military as a cavalry officer, and spent the first of my five combat tours leading Soldiers at small-unit level in Operation Desert Storm. I am ranger and airborne qualified. I have also deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq with the 10th MTN, 82nd ABN, and 1st ID (in addition to this tour with a Stryker BCT). All of my assignments as a physician have been in infantry units at brigade level and below.

The bottom line is that the question is about STANDARDS - uniform standards regardless of gender, age, or whatever. A ruck is ruck whether carried by a man or a woman, or Soldier in their teens or 40's. Why do we have different standards for the APFT based on gender or age? America's enemies do not differentiate based on these things, and some day we as a society and an institution will hopefully mature to the point that we view individuals by their proven capabilities, and not by some other tag. It was not that long ago that many supposedly educated, experienced, and well-intentioned individuals argued that blacks should not be allowed to serve in combat roles because they were considered incapable of meeting the standards. Fortunately we've matured beyond that myopic view as a society. Hopefully this process of maturing will continue to break down artificial barriers that prevent the most qualified people from serving in the appropriate jobs.

It was nice to see an article on women in the military. My daughter has been in the Marine Corps for about five yrs now, she re-enlisted last year and was just sent to Iraq last month. I have heard there are not many women over there so she gets lonely too..

To Jake: The military doesn't allow pregnant women into a combat zone.

To Anonymous, San Diego: Thank you for you lack of support for the military. We provide freedom and all you can do is insult us. Just so you know, there has never been a war with another country on the United States soil. The only war that had occured is the civil war. As for 9/11 that was only an attack. Don't bother knocking on Congress' door and try to support the military if terrorist blow up you house. Also why are you using the word "those" to refer to the military personnel? Are you implying everyone is "less intelligent and uneducated"? If so, I can say that you are ignorant civilian who is ungrateful for what the military does for its country. You should do some "homework" on the military. If you researched the facts before you run your mouth about your topic, then maybe you deserve to have the freedom of speech. I know for a fact to achieve the rank of a Brigadier General (1 star), you need more than a high school diploma. These people have degrees.

Wow!  The equal opportunity to get your head blown off.  What we need is a men's rights movement: a man has the right to his own body and to be raised in a culture that sees his body as inexpendable and as beautiful as a woman's.  But that would involve getting rid of some homophobia.  Neither the American military nor the American culture is ready for that.

San Diego, your ignorance of the military intelligence levels and our education levels inticate to me that you have no real information just opinion. I am enlisted and am in the process of completing my MBA. There are a lot of NCOs that hold at least an associates degree. We may have entered the military with a high school diploma or GED but a lot of us have taken advantage of expanding our minds, I would suggest you do the same.  

Being Special Forces and also (Ranger) it makes no sense why LTC O would say something about combat when he has know idea what really goes on. Females do great things in the military but combat arms should not be a question there is not a place for them.

"San Diego," You seem to have forgetten where your freedoms and liberties come from. The people that you're slandering are the same people that enable you to enjoy your civil liberties.

What have you done for your country lately?

Should a female serve in an INF or SOF unit? No.

 We, the military, have already established that women do have a place.  The military utilized women in WWII for many things from making clothes, to tending wounded.  The only problem that I have seen with putting a women in a combat unit is plain and simple physics.  Women are, by human nature, naturally built for different things.  This is natual selection of duties.  The basic chemical makeup of a woman's anatomy makes them more emotional beings.  Emotion has no place on the battle field.  When you need mindless machines for killing without question, you bring testosterone.  A woman has to work extremely hard to do fifty push-ups, whereas a man not so much.  If women are going to be on equal terms with men as combatants in a brutal, mindless, killing environment, they should definatley have the same physical fitness standards as males.  There's Equal Opportunity and then there's over-achievment.  Women are no less of humans than are males.  But the chemical and physical differences between the two should be adheared to as being guidlines from our maker (whoever, or whatever that be) as to natual born duties.  Women are not built for it, plain and simple.  But this woman is highly extraordinary, and should definatley be shown the respect of a war veteran, no questions asked!

My grandfather, who was involved in four major wars (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War) told me that his only regret was that there weren't enough male medics and nurses..........NO women should have been exposed to the horrors that existed, if at all possible (which it wasn't, obviously).
 My personal thoughts are that women are/can be very capable of combat, but we don't need to go until all the men are dead.........

Dear San Diego,

The fact that you have not applied your name to your posting tells me that you are viscerally afraid of the inherently less intelligent and uneducated masses that populate your areas military bases.  In this case, it is probably a wise thing that you followed your instincts.

Now, if you would please do us a favor and take the flagpole's truck (if you don’t know what I’m referring to please ask someone to provide you with instructions on implementing a Google search) out of your nether regions and descend to our level you might be able to see what we see.  

What we see are a number of "highly educated" civilians telling those inherently less intelligent, uneducated masses what to do on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, for more of those inherently less intelligent, uneducated masses than you care to recognize as worthy of recognition, those same “highly educated” civilians have been sitting so high up on their own trucks that they can’t hear the voices of those they have tasked with accomplishing the mission.  These are the same voices of reason and experience that have been continuously written off as insignificant and full of groundless worry and fear.  Personally, if Colin Powell and Gen. Schwarzkopf expressed concern to me, I would stop what I was doing and listen.  

Perhaps before you denigrate an institution you should assume a mantel of responsibility and try to first comprehend its place in history and society.  In your rush to maliciously impugn the character of this institution’s members you neglected your studies.  If you had checked your history books you just might have discovered that those you have berated for their, “lack of mental capacity to deal with…complex social situations,” actually belong to an organization that has historically not only grasped but accepted the impact and consequences of many complex social issues long before their “educated” civilian counterparts.  

If you don’t think they have and do, then please stop and take a moment to open that same history book and turn to any of the pictures depicting the battlefield after the war has moved on.  Would you take a moment to contemplate the nature of the clothing worn by those left behind?  The battlefield may not recognize the difference between military and civilian, but it is the ability to recognize a battlefield before it earns its title and not run from it that separates the military from the civilian.  

Now, if you would indulge me for just a few more moments, please take some time to study the images within the book as the decades and eras they represent slip through your fingertips.  Did you notice the complexions of those left behind?  Are those left on Lexington Green in 1776 the same as those left on the beachhead at Ft. Wagner in 1863?  How about Puerto Rico or the Philippines of 1898 and Vietnam in 1968?  

I would also like to point out that you should not be congratulating civil society for its ability to accept equality amongst its citizens regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference, or gender either.  If civil society were truly capable of these actions there would be no need for the ACLU, NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, LGBT groups, laws protecting people from sexual harassment, others denying a certain class of people the right to marry whomever they wish, or restricting the movement of individuals across borders.  

If civil society were the standard bearer, wouldn’t there have been a female president of an interracial, co-ed institution of higher-education long before a female was promoted to general and given command of an interracial, mixed sex unit?  Would there be a need for troops in Iraq if civil society could manage polite discourse?  Would we have found our way to Vietnam?  Might the Twin Towers still cast their daily shadow over New York City?  Would there be a need for an active standing military force anywhere in the world?  I guess the source of my confusion centers around this question, if the military is the option of last resort, what are the first, second, and third resorts doing?  Aren’t they composed of civil society’s brightest minds?

If a lack of degreed training is used to summarily certify an individual as unintelligent, then the possession of a degreed education would be the equivalent of a certificate of intelligence.  A word of caution, you may be hard pressed to prove either of these points if the examples of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, and our current Administration were used to invalidate your argument.  

Oddly enough, during my eight years in the military as an enlisted female it was not the knuckle-dragging dotards you make the enlisted man out to be that overtly demonstrated hostility towards women in the military, in any capacity.  To the enlisted men I served with, I was for the most part just another soldier.  Actually, in contradiction to your point of view it was only a small number of “educated” male officers who openly berated and harassed their female peers and subordinates alike simply because a woman’s place was not in the military.  Looking back, I can now see the humor in it.  They worked for four years to graduate from high school, and then spent another four or five earning their degree, but in the end they never took the time to become more than elementary school bullies.  

It is with somber reflection, and a deep sense of respect for those that serve, regardless of their rank, background, or emotional IQ that I respectfully refute your disrespectful assertions.  If there is one thing I have learned during the thirty-seven years I have crawled and walked upon this Earth it is this, intelligence, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.  And, judging from your entry you are not worth a second glance.

Anonymous at Ft Benning has made a great point in the difference between seeing action and actively seeking contact with the enemy. For those you have no clue what that means, then all the reporting in the world will never bring that explanation to you. As a current active-duty senior enlisted artilleryman in the Army, I can admit that although Fire Support is technically a combat MOS, we do NOT actively perfrom missions the infantry and other non-conventional units (read- SOCOM units) are actively engaged in day in, day out (in some cases, there are Arty units that have done and are doing so, another matter entirely). I can tell stories of missions I have participated in, women who have put some men to shame in those missions, but the key word is "participated", meaning the participant was made part of the operation due to a need at that time. They are not permanently assigned these duties.  I also said women who have put SOME of these men to shame- it does not state that all the females I have ever worked with have been able to do it, and the men I am referring to were, well, figure it out from there.

I am sure MAJ Clarkson is a good PA and a superb Soldier- she is not the gold standard by which our infantry and traditional combat units are measured. The missions they fulfill takes months of training to even achieve a standard of excellence. Let's get off this GI Jane symposium here, and realize what the actual science that even MAJ Clarkson is fully aware. As for policy, I say make everyone eligible to fight for their country- then you will have the true right to truly say you had the guts to stand up and fight for your freedom. Now when them old guys and gals on the Hill decide to make it truly gender- equal, then so be it, and the Armed Forces will have no choice but to adapt, just as they did with desegregation. Til then, holla at your Congressman (or woman), then go and enlist for the mandatory 3 year enlistment that probably may need to be instituted, the way this GWOT is going.....

As for you, Mr "San Diego"- Shut the F*** UP. You havent a clue at all.....

Let's see hmmm lower class.  That kind of statement has no class.  IMO you should not be considered a citizen until you serve at least 2 years in some branch of active duty service.

But as far as women and men... this is all out of control.  I'm not crying that I can't birth a child.  Even if a woman can attain the same physical conditioning it's just not an appropriate situation for them, at this time at least.

I'm all for women in combat roles as long as they pass the tests and complete the training. I just woke up and I'm still a bit tired but off the top of my head I can't think of other jobs women simply aren't allowed to do in our country. I'm sure there are some but I can't think of any, I mean they from being in dangerous jobs like SWAT to any level of government like president.

Another point I have is this "San Diego" punk is truly the definition of close-minded. This is to open the minds of some people who may agree with the above point of view. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to be accepted into a military academy?!?!?!? Have you ever heard of West Point?!?!? IT'S WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD! I'm sure you're rolling your eyes right now in that close-minded head of yours so stop and read this if you can handle another perspective. If you're smart, you will watch the Military Channel's three-part series on the rigors of West Point and you will see what I mean.
I come from a MIDDLE CLASS family. We all have cars, we have jobs, we all pay our taxes and graduated from school. My dad has a degree and is about to retire. My mom's a home health aid. I have a degree in criminal justice but I didn't like the job when I was interning at the local police department but still wanted a job where I can help people & have action so I joined the ARMY. One of my brothers has been in the AIR FORCE reserve for almost 10 years in intelligence with a classified job that he can't even tell us about. He also worked for Raytheon in his civilian career. My other brother is a MARINE doing his second tour in Iraq right now doing electrical work and I'm very proud of both of them because they used their brains to get to where they are today! I'm going in as a Combat Engineer in Oct. and scored an 85 on the ASVAB. The military as a whole can be summed up as some of the most HIGHLY TRAINED, HIGHLY MOTIVATED COLLECTION OF PEOPLE FROM EVERY STATE, CITY AND TOWN. EVERY RACE, COLOR AND ETHNICITY. EVERY RELIGION, FAITH AND BELIEF. AND JUST AS IMPORTANT BOTH GENDERS.
How dare you insult the Vietnam vets as well as the Iraq vets?!?!!?!?! Who are you to call the bravest people of our nation stupid??? Ask yourself this: "Would I voice my opinion to a service member's face, be them a WW2, Korean War, Vietnam vet or one in the military right now?"
YOU KNOW YOU WOULDN'T!
When I took the civil service exam I scored a 96. I would have gotten another 10 points if I was a woman...oh, and another 10 if I was Hispanic...and another 10 if I spoke spanish fluently. So that means, hypothetically, a Hispanic, bilingual woman who scored a 67 on the EXACT SAME EXAM would have got the job over me. Why? I'm obviously smarter and I'd bet my MVP track & field trophy I'm in better shape than her physically. Do I have anything against Hispanic women? OBVIOUSLY NOT BUT WHEN YOUR MOM CALLS 911 BECAUSE THERE'S A COUPLE OF ARMED THUGS BREAKING INTO HER HOUSE WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE THERE TO HELP HER? Same thing for the fire department and same thing for the military. Women are better at some things as a whole and so are men.
Throughout history there have been women who were EXTREMELY fierce. Just think of the Spartan women of so long ago to Asian women who knew very complex fighting styles to today's women who compete in mixed martial arts. I'm giving women their respect but THE STANDARDS MUST BE EQUAL BECAUSE IN THE REAL WORLD THE TASK IS THE SAME REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RIGHT?
I believe women should be able to do any job as long as they qualify. Why shouldn't they? I know I wouldn't have a problem with a female being my commanding officer because my mom told me what to do growing up and she did a great job with all 3 boys in my opinion. She's quite liberal and considered herself a hippy back in the day but she has always said how proud she is of us serving our country as well as challenging ourselves to the extent we do. I sincerely hope all who read this remember that every soldier, marine, sailor and airman hasn't fallen into the lowly military, WE ROSE TO MEET THE MILITARY'S HIGH STANDARDS!

San Diego, are you serious? That statement was incredibly hypocritically ignorant, and I am shocked that the site approved something so offensive because it included a one sentence blurb about women.

I know several women who performed on a higher level than I during physical fitness tests, and while I would trust them to be able to perform physical tasks common to "REMF's", I don't feel that they would be able to handle a combat billet.

Physically, I don't see a problem occuring, and that is a point that I think many of the people agreeing with the underlying point of this article are missing. The military does not believe that all women are physically weaker than all men. It's not true.

What the military is still using is the mental part of combat survival: what the individual uses to get themselves through a situation so impregnated with stress. If you put a man and a woman under the incredible stress of combat on a day-to-day basis, with all the same conditions, they will both break. The difference is that, barring combat freeze-ups, most men will break aggressively, attacking the target of the stress, while women have a tendency to break passively, attempting to mentally block out the stress.

In non-combat duties, where ambush-reaction combat situations are more prevalent, there's not enough constant pressure to cause that much of a difference. Most servicemembers either freeze or fight, regardless of gender. But in a combat unit, the stress builds constantly, more people break from the stress, and the results are visible once the infantry units get home - PTSD.

Ever notice how male PTSD patients are more likely to react violently to stress than female PTSD patients?

The military already did.

San Diego, it is a shame that you believe our soldiers to be inherently less intelligent. It shows a very deep lack of insight into the people and the job on your part. Perhaps we can excuse you by assuming you are uneducated and less intelligent. By dismissing the American military insuch a fashion you display the very same qualities.
But they fight and die to give idiots like you your right to free speech because they believe in the tenants of our country. I cannot imagine you standing in front of a soldier to protect them but a soldier would stand in front of you.  America is not at war - America is at the mall.

You can hear it from "the horses mouth", Special Forces are for those special people (Men & Women)and thats it simply.

Time for everyone to unite and say thank you!

Oh Please!!!  Women in combat roles only makes our military weaker.  IF we do this kind of ignorant crab, then we deserve to have our butts handed to us.

Iraq.  There are no front lines.  The term is as outdated as the mindsets of most Americans.  There are lines. Circles of security around FOB's, CAMP's, and COP's and outside that circle there is a war.  Often attacks penetrate that circle, and a mortar doesn't care if it lands on a man or woman, a male or a female.  To travel anywhere you have to drive through that war, or fly over it.  In either case one could find themselves in a fight. Bullets show little sexual discrimination. Women are very much on the front lines of this war.  A war with no trenches and few "safe zones."
Females are not allowed in combat roles for multiple reasons, each one when weighed with the others, adds up to a logical explaination.  Female basic instincts are to care for loved ones, in a firefight one has to engage the enemy first, care for wounded second.  The male basic instinct is to protect females, if he does that in a fight, he is not engaging the enemy.  Then you have the issue of remote locations, high stress, long periods of down time and males and females in close proximity.  Now you can pretend that fine upstanding soldiers, hardened killing machines that they are, can set aside sexual needs for 15 months at a time, but while you are pretending, the amount of distraction and conflict that arises could take a unit out of the fight.
Indeed in some cases it may seem unfair, downright uncivilized, but war is uncivilized.

This should not have happened to begin with. Human killing human...

What a joke women should be at home barefoot. And men who are less capable should be in the rear with the gear.

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