Women have been a part of military operations since the American Revolution. Even though most women wore disguises, they paved the way for military women today. However, it has not been easy. Over the decades women’s abilities have been tried and tested. Every test they passed, every tear they shed, and every life they saved proved there worthiness. Every woman, past or present, in the military has proven they are ready, willing, and able to defend our country. When a boy turns 18 he is required to sign up for the selected service; however, girls are not held to the same standard. Brooke Stedman, a member of the Women in International Security, stated, If we wish to uphold and promote gender equality, then women should also be required to enroll in Selective Service. Arguments that the American people don’t want to see their daughters and sisters drafted are offensive and ignorant. Are we not equally scared to see our sons and brothers drafted?
We are constantly reminded that public service in the military is a valid part of American citizenship, yet women are limited in their actions.
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Question one asked, “Should women be allowed to enlist in the military?” 100% of the people in the class answered yes. Question two asked, “Should women be required to sign up for selective services?” 85% answered yes. The final question asked, “Should women be allowed to serve in combat roles?” Knowing this would be a controversial questions, only 45% of the students answered yes. Over half the class disagreed. Slightly outraged, the question why not was posed. Answer varied from, “girls cannot handle that,” and included “it would be sad if a girl died.” My history teacher, Tandy Holland, was in the Navy for more than thirty years. This man lives and breathes military. He settled the classes little debate by sharing an experience he had in the military, he
The military is trying to find new ways to recognize the fact that women now fight in the country’s wars. In 2011 the Military Leadership Diversity Commission recommended that the Department of Defense remove all combat restrictions on women. Although many jobs have been opened for women in the military, there is still 7.3 percent of jobs that are closed to them. On February 9, 2012, George Little announced that the Department of Defense would continue to reduce the restrictions that were put on women’s roles. The argument that “women are not physically fit for combat” is the most common and well-researched justification for their exclusion from fighting units. It has been proven if women go through proper training and necessary adaptations, they can complete the same physical tasks as any man. Though there seem to be many reasons from the exclusion of women in the military, the main ones have appeared to be that they do not have the strength to go through combat, would be a distraction to the men, and that they would interrupt male bonding and group
In the Upfront Magazine Article “Women Warriors”, author Rebecca Zissou told the story of two women who recently graduated the Army’s Ranger School, but whether they would be able to serve alongside their fellow male graduates was unknown. Zissou also delved into the issue of whether or not women should be allowed to serve in combat positions. However, I believe that women should be allowed to serve in combat positions in the U.S. armed forces.
Men have always been looked upon as the leading sex. Looking back through history women have been the ones who take care of the home and children, while men are the ones who work and go to war. However in recent years there’s no doubt that women have become much more equal in the work force. Nevertheless men are still the ones who are forced to fight our wars when the time calls for it. Many think that women should be entirely equal to men having their choice to be drafted taken away but the fact is that they are physically at a disadvantage, too emotionally oriented, and the increase of female presence would have a more negative impact in the military in the way of social interactions.
Before World War I, women assisted the military during wartime mainly as nurses and helpers. Some women, however, did become involved in battles. Molly Pitcher, a Revolutionary War water carrier, singlehandedly kept a cannon in action after a artillery crew had been disabled. During the
In 1973, women began to grow in numbers in the All-Volunteer Force implemented under President Nixon. “In February 1988, Department of Defense (DoD) codified the Combat Exclusion Policy by adopting the ‘Risk Rule’”, (the DoD Combat Exclusion Policy) pg. 21, 22. The change of the feminine role in the civilian population has forced a review of their presence in the Armed Forces. These roles reviewed after the onset of the Exclusion Law in “1967 when the statutory strengths and grade limitations were lifted” (…GOA, pg 4) as well as in 1978 when positions available to women were expanded (…GOA). In 1992 and 1993 when the “Defense Authorization Acts were implemented, congress revoked the prohibition of women’s assignments to combat aircraft… and in January 1994 the ‘Risk Rule’ was rescinded” (the DoD Combat Exclusion Policy) pg 22. With the 1994 change in the “Risk Rule”, assignments were available for females in all services to participate in all available positions. Exceptions of “assignments to units below the brigade level whose primary mission is direct ground combat” (the DoD Combat Exclusion Policy) pg 22(ibid) were put in place.
"Update: Women in the Military." Issues and Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 29 May 2007. Web.
When it comes to combat assignments and the needs of the military, men take precedence over all other considerations, including career prospects of female service members. Female military members have been encouraged to pursue opportunities and career enhancement within the armed forces, which limit them only to the needs and good of the service due to women being not as “similarly situated” as their male counterparts when it comes to strength or aggressiveness, and are not able to handle combat situations.
Many women around the world have big responsibilities in the military, and although some people may disagree, I believe they can handle anything a man can handle when it comes to being on the battlefield. Some people think that women should not be able to fight in the military, where as other people think they should be able to fight in the military. Each supporter and non-supporter has their own reasons. Some of the reasons for the non-supporters are because of their gender. They think that because they are women, they cannot handle the challenges that being on the battlefield brings. Women are willing to fight, and they know what can happen, they know exactly what can happen. They are willing to fight for their country, and I believe they should be able to. The men that fight for our country are against women fighting in combat. They believe that women are not capable of doing what they do to defend and fight for our country. The men feel that they cannot trust women to help back them up at war simply because of the fact that they are women.
Ever wonder about the conditions in Iraq after Saddam Hussein was killed for the extreme mistreatment of his people (mostly the Kurdish Iraqis)? The current conditions in Iraq are quite harsh as of right now, for starters the Sunni and Shiite Muslim people are so far apart in their views that they’re raging war. Due too this war, a religious law that grants women far fewer rights than Westernized countries is being enforced as the law of the land. This religious law, or Islamic law, is called Sharia law. The following paragraphs go into detail about what women are allowed and not allowed too do while Sharia is being enforced, as well as the obstacles many Muslim women face when trying too achieve gender equality. Another issue within Iraq that concerns the wellbeing of women is the topic of female genital
The problem of women fighting in combat along with their male counterparts is not a one-sided problem. Elizabeth Hoisington has earned the rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, leads the Women’s Army Corps and believes that women should not serve in combat because they are not as physically, mentally, or emotionally qualified as a male is and that ...
Furthermore, women signing up for selective service will help increase the Armed Forces if the country is in need. According to Congress, “adequate armed strength must be achieved and maintained in order to insure the security of our nation (Selective Service, 2013)”. Having women on the draft will help to ensure that America will have enough members of the Armed Forces to be at war and to protect the home front.
Military wives are perceived as stay at home moms that sit at home all day and take care of the kids. My views on the wives of soldiers is that they are pretty much single parents while their husbands are deployed. The wives are expected to keep the house up and running by doing the housework, cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. People on the outside looking in may think that all of the wives are unemployed and living off of their husbands. The wives are forced to deal with all the duties that, are they are supposed to share as a couple. In situations like this the wife may feel extremely overwhelmed, but the additional workload along with the work that she was doing before their husband was deployed. The conduction
The story of America’s military woman can be traced to the birth of our nation. During the American Revolutionary War, the 18th and 19th centuries, where women served informally as nurses, seamstresses, cooks, and even as spies and were subject to Army’s rules of Conduct. Though not in uniform, these women shared soldier’s hardships including inadequate housing and little compensation. Women have formally been part of the U.S Armed Forces since the Inception of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901. In 1973 the transition to the All-Volunteer Force marked a dramatic increase in the opportunities available for women to serve in the military. As of September 30, 2009, the total number of active duty women in the U.S was 203, 375, and women made up 14.3 percent of the U.s armed forces (Robinson). Women are a crucial role in c...
Many agree, that in certain military occupations, women can function at the same level as men. The controversy about having women fighting with men in wars is the fact that they have a different physical structure, deal with stress and emotions differently , are more susceptible to injury and just don't have the killer instinct necessary to get the job done. Although the last statement might appear to be a stereotype, most women would not be capable of supporting the demanding rigors of war-like situations. It would be a great mistake to allow women in these stressful and dangerous situations.
Should women be allowed in the military? My answer was at first a resounding “no.” However, once I started my research, my opinion changed. In 1948, Congress passed the combat exclusion law that prohibited women in the Air Force, Marines, and Navy to hold combat positions; however, the Army can assign these duties as they see fit (Schroeder). Some people assume that Americans are not ready to see a woman wounded or killed in war; however, there are female police officers that are wounded or killed daily (Schroeder). How can we rationalize that a woman has the right to die protecting our local communities but not our country? If a person chooses to be in a combat field, and can pass the physical demands required, gender should not be an issue. The arguments of physical differences and cohesion among the troops are valid arguments but not substantial enough to prevent women from serving in frontline combat roles within the military.