# Touchy subject



## PFC_RC (May 25, 2006)

This is usually a touchy subject, but I think women should be allowed to serve in combat arms positions. army; In fact, that was the subject of my 12th grade English paper back when I was still in high school.


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## Advisor (May 26, 2006)

We could form an all female brigade sized unit..their nickname could be the 'Bloody B*tches." Send them into combat once a month. Will scare the 'shite' out of the opposition. uzi, 

Seriously, I am a bit conflicted. From the standpoint of equality and from the fact that the best way to advancement in the military is to command troops in combat.
On the other hand, as an old fashioned man, I want to spare women the trauma of combat. I know that women are tough but I still want to spare them that. There are others on here that have seen worse sh*t than I combatwise and I can't speak for them. But why put women through it?
Another compromise might be: Artillery-yes, armor-maybe, infantry & combat engineers - no.


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## Nightstalker (May 26, 2006)

*nightstalker*

solthum I agree Advisor, anything that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die, is up to the challenge.


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## Bombardier (May 26, 2006)

Women as Infantry?, Dont think that would be a very good idea at all. From my experience women are too emotional and im not sure they would be any different in a battle situation, emotions can make you do irrational things.


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## PFC_RC (May 27, 2006)

Well, even if infantry couldn't be opened to women I do think certain combat arms positions should be like Advisor suggested.  But what's interesting is that a lot of foreign countries do allow women in those positions.


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## ArcticWolf (Jun 10, 2006)

Advisor said:
			
		

> We could form an all female brigade sized unit..their nickname could be the 'Bloody B*tches." Send them into combat once a month. Will scare the 'shite' out of the opposition.


 


			
				Nightstalker said:
			
		

> I agree Advisor, anything that bleeds for 7 days and doesn't die, is up to the challenge.


 
That was really funny!!! solthum 

Hmmm... I'm conflicted too on this matter. I believe anyone can get used to anything, and there are women who are very much less emotional than most women, and who are able to serve alongside men on the frontline without any problems. 
On the other hand, as has been mentioned, the things you see in war and the things you have to live through are, putting it mildly, atrocious things. Those experiences marks everyone that has ever lived in a warzone, and it stays with you for life in one way or another.

Putting it from another angle, there are many men that could never go to war because they just couldn't deal with these same experiences. I think it is a matter of individuals, not really gender. It's probably easier to generalise by gender, but war brings out the best and worst in human nature regardless of gender.


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## John A Silkstone (Jun 10, 2006)

I think the underlying point here is that subconsciously we would still try to protect the female, it’s an inborn instinct.

Silky


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## Hollis (Aug 1, 2006)

John A Silkstone said:
			
		

> I think the underlying point here is that subconsciously we would still try to protect the female, it’s an inborn instinct.
> 
> Silky


 
I have read that too.  The underlying problem is not women, but how men will react to them. 

I am not sure that is a issue that cannot be resolved by training.


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## Reloader (Aug 2, 2006)

So how come the Russians were able to do it some sixty-odd years ago?


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## IronFootedBstrd (Aug 4, 2006)

Didnt the Israeli's have to undertake some fairly extensive 'retraining' to modify the instinct to protect females in combat? As I recall, the military objectives were suffering as all other considerations were relegated to 2nd place to protect the women.

Interesting point, how DID the Russians manage it?


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## John A Silkstone (Aug 4, 2006)

Yasha Bachkarova, the founder of the Russia’s Women's Death Battalion. 

On the 26th July, 1917: Yasha Bachkarova, a Siberian woman soldier who had served in the Russian Army since 1915 and fought side by side with her husband. When he was killed, she continued to fight. She was wounded twice and three times decorated for valour. 

When she knew the soldiers were deserting in large numbers, she made her way to Moscow and Petrograd to start recruiting for a Woman's Battalion. It is reported that she had said, "If the men refuse to fight for their country, we will show them what the women can do!"  

Yasha Bachkarova then began her campaign; it is said that it had met with singular success. Young women, some of aristocratic families, rallied to her side; they were given rifles and uniforms and drilled and marched vigorously. 

This following two extract are from a medical orderly’s diary. 

9th August, 1917: Last Monday, an ambulance-van drove up with three wounded women soldiers. We were told that they belonged to the Bachkarova Women's Death Battalion. We had not heard the full name before, but we instantly guessed that it was the small army of women recruited in Russia by the Siberian women soldier, Yasha Bachkarova. Naturally we were all very impatient to have news of this remarkable battalion, but the women were sadly shocked and we refrained from questioning them until they had rested. The van driver was not very helpful but he did know that the battalion had been cut up by the enemy and had retreated. 

13th August, 1917: At dinner we heard more of the Women's Death Battalion. It was true; Bachkarova had brought her small battalion down south of the Austrian Front, and they had manned part of the trenches which had been abandoned by the Russian Infantry. The size of the Battalion had considerably decreased since the first weeks of recruitment, when some 2000 women and girls had rallied to the call of their leader. Many of them, painted and powdered, had joined the Battalion as an exciting and romantic adventure; she loudly condemned their behaviour and demanded iron discipline. Gradually the patriotic enthusiasm had spent itself; the 2000 slowly dwindled to 250. In honour to those women volunteers, it was recorded that they did go into the attack; they did go "over the top". But not all of them. Some remained in the trenches, fainting and hysterical; others ran or crawled back to the rear.

Silky


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## Zofo (Aug 5, 2006)

The Soviets had fighter pilots, gunners and snipers. More than anything else, the whole population (less those banged up in Gulag and those who were being starved in Ukraine etc) were defending the Rodina (motherland) against the fascist aggressor. Stalin had decimated the population running up to the Great Patriotic War and it was simply a case of all hands on deck. The vast, vast majority of the fighting troops were men.
For further info, see here: Soviet Women In War


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## Hollis (Aug 6, 2006)

I thought this might be a interesting addition, it is on a Orthodox religious women who is the IDF.  I feel who is best capabable to do the job, should get the job.  The requirement should be based on job performance/requirements and not design to set artifical limitation to exclude a "predefine" group of people.  

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525795885&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull


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