Women in the Military: "You're One of Three Things - a Bitch, a Whore or a Dyke"

[Carnyx]

Compared to men women got looser nerves, are far more emotive, lost their temper more easily and can get emotionaly involved with people whom they don't know from Adam.

In case of tumultus though, I would accept women to give water to wounded and soldiers. By that I mean to say there is for a woman more to do to give a hand than fighting on a battlefield.

[Vincent]

For me the answer is NO. They should not be in the army. Of course, they are some exeptions, and I know from the war here (in Sarajevo), that some women have a great spirit, and are better made for a combat then many men, but generally this isn't the case.

@ OlafurThors

Soldiers aren't supposed to look sexy and hot. They must be strong, athletic and coldblooded. They can't allow them slefs to be driven by any kind of emotions (fear, anger, mercy etc.), and women mostly are victims of them (and noone can convince me it's not like that).

And I'm sorry, but this (the picture below) is not the way I imagine someone, who is going to save his homeland. After all, it's war... tears, fear, blood and death, and not some hollywood blockbuster where the destiny of mankinds fate lies in the hands of Angelina Joly



EDIT: I didn't see the post of Carnyx, but it's the same point as mine:

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Compared to men women got looser nerves, are far more emotive, lost their temper more easily and can get emotionaly involved with people whom they don't know from Adam.

[Freebooter]

The title is interesting. When I was serving, there was a similar saying: "The only reason women join the army is to find a boyfriend, to get back at a boyfriend, or because she swings the other way."

From personal experience, I found that my female instructors and superiors in the military tended to be on power trips. I've always been curious if, because they were women and a minority, they felt the need to prove their worth by being so implacable and impossible to please. Perhaps it's just my experience.

I'm uncertain whether I support female service in the combat arms of the military. It seems reasonable to say that I am rather indifferent about the military in this area of the world, but in Portugal, I would undoubtedly oppose it as a traditionalist.

[Errigal]

Here are two pages of women killed in Iraq serving in the US military:

womenVETS

womenvets2005_2006

Slain Soldier Reached Beyond Expectations

By Ian Shapira
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 29, 2005; Page A17

Not many people, including her parents, considered Sam W. Huff to be obvious Army material. She was petite -- just over 5 feet tall -- didn't play any major sports and was best known at Tucson's Mountain View High School for her striking beauty and sharp fashion sense.

But the marching band drum major was also feisty and persistent, a conductor with a loud voice and commanding presence. With relatives who had served in the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, the 18-year-old had precise career goals: a tour of duty in the military, a college degree in psychology and a job at the FBI profiling criminals. After graduating from high school last year, Huff completed the grueling months of basic training and then, around Christmas, visited her old stomping grounds before being deployed to Iraq.

"She told me basic training was really hard, how she was having problems with her knee and that they tried talking her out of the Army," said Ellen Kirkbride, band director at Mountain View. "But she pleaded with them to stay. She would have felt as if she failed. She was tough."

On April 18, Pfc. Huff died in Baghdad from injuries she received the night before when the Humvee she was driving was hit by a roadside bomb, according to the Army. Yesterday, she became the 130th soldier killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. She was a member of the 170th Military Police Company, 504th Military Police Battalion, 42nd Military Police Brigade, based at Fort Lewis, Wash.
Her parents, Robert Huff, 50, a retired police detective-turned-musician, and Margaret Williams, 52, a former Marine and communications supervisor for a suburban Tucson police department, accepted the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Good Conduct Medal on her behalf during the service.
Robert Huff, who spoke with Army officials about the circumstances of his daughter's death, said that she had spent the night of April 17 guarding an Iraqi police station. She and others in her unit were headed back to their base on the outskirts of Baghdad when an improvised explosive devise detonated next to the Humvee's driver's side. Huff was the only one seriously injured, according to Maj. Elizabeth Robbins, an Army spokeswoman.

The blast severed Huff's leg, and "there was nothing anyone could do and she bled to death," Robert Huff said. Huff was supposed to operate the machine gun on the top of the Humvee, he said, but she was not strong enough to load the weapon quickly. So, the petite soldier with a penchant for Disney ballads learned how to pilot the monstrous Humvee.

Teachers at Mountain View High said the community has been crushed by her death. At a recent memorial service at Casas Adobes Baptist Church in Tucson, the marching band played two of her favorite ballads, Kirkbride said: one from "Beauty and the Beast," another from "The Little Mermaid." On the stage, a black marching band hat -- adorned with a plume of black and silver feathers -- sat next to her combat helmet, Kirkbride said.

Robert Huff said he'll never forget what an Army official told him about his daughter's last moments. As she was bleeding, she told a sergeant next to her that she wanted him to pass along a message to her parents.
"He said, 'No, you'll be able to make the call yourself.' Then she said: 'No, I don't think I can make it. Tell my mom I love her, and tell my Dad good luck with his album.' "

source

[FlashVoyager]

In terms of physical qualities and behaviour men are more qualified than women for the military. But these are just stereotypes, if a woman is competent she shouldn't be prohibited to join.

[Vincent]

Originally Posted by Vasconcelos

The title is interesting. When I was serving, there was a similar saying: "The only reason women join the army is to find a boyfriend, to get back at a boyfriend, or because she swings the other way."

From personal experience, I found that my female instructors and superiors in the military tended to be on power trips. I've always been curious if, because they were women and a minority, they felt the need to prove their worth by being so implacable and impossible to please. Perhaps it's just my experience.

A good example for a woman on such a trip, an Illyrian queen called Teuta. She tried to prove she is better then all men, but the only thing she achieved is to ruin the whole country, and bring it under Roman rule. The Queen of mayhem, and not Illyria.

Queen Teuta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Theobald]

Originally Posted by OlafurThors

1.Women in uniform are hot!
3.Women in uniform are hot!
5.Women in uniform are hot!
7.Women in uniform are hot!

Well, you have explained why women in the military are raped, not why they should be allowed in.

Anyway...

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Fine silk lingery and high heels has always turned me on. If I got turned on by a pair of military boots and a helmet, then I would start worrying much.

... hot for sexually frustrated Black soldiers, yeah, probably.
As for native Europeans involved in such things I would not go as far as saying that all this fetish about women in military uniform has its origins in the devirilization of the European man and/or closet homosexuality... but that's the spirit.

Originally Posted by Aled

I see no problem with women serving in the armed forces, they do a great deal of excellent work in the medical/logistical/artillery corps.

Indeed, that's my opinion as well. Women should not serve in fighting units, but I see no problem with them being in medical and logistical units.

[Vityaz]

The only "woman" that would be able to serve in the military as a soldier would have to transcend the line between man and woman, in terms of testosterone. Otherwise, no matter how strong or buff a woman is she would still simply not be able to handle the mental and emotional stress faced in combat situations.

[Susi]

Originally Posted by Carnyx

Compared to men women got looser nerves, are far more emotive, lost their temper more easily...

I am going to prove this right now. (but not that last bit )

Originally Posted by OlafurThors

In utopia no one would run with guns, however the world is a different place. Women can participate in combat just as men.

Apart from the fact that the female body is not built for combat or hunting, right? You know why men are more muscular than women? It's not just to look good. I would agree that women could serve in the military. But I don't think it would be advisable until all other options are exhausted and there is no other choice to defend the nation.

We all have a duty to protect our nation.

You can do this in other ways than fighting.

There are many women who have the fighting spirit.

Just cause we're vivacious doesn't mean we have to play soldier.

In a war the nation needs all the manpower it can get.

See bolded text.

Women in uniform are hot!x4

Why don't you be ten times more sexist than any of the men here who have wanted to keep us women safe from facing the horrors of war?

Combat boots and military gear isn't really what I would think of as "hot" clothing. I wear it because it's durable and really comfortable when I am running or working out or doing garden work, and so on; I don't wear it when I am trying to impress someone.

Originally Posted by Theobald

Indeed, that's my opinion as well. Women should not serve in fighting units, but I see no problem with them being in medical and logistical units.

Agreed.

[Aptrgangr]

Originally Posted by FlashVoyager

In terms of physical qualities and behaviour men are more qualified than women for the military. But these are just stereotypes, if a woman is competent she shouldn't be prohibited to join.

That's true, and it is criminal to send women who would not pass a serious combat drill into war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan (I oppose the US/Western military presence there anyway). But those women who want to join and pass the tests - why not?
I am sure the female Russian OMON instructor can teach a lesson in fighting to each of us, same goes for the French para instructor, the Spanish and Greek special forces soldiers - and I seriously doubt bullets fired by Irish female gunners are less lethal than those fired by male gunners. I think the woman as soft and pure feminine being is merely a cliche.
The Romans e.g. were negatively surprised by female Celtic fighters that were desribed as no less wild and dangerous in appearance and effectivity than their male comrades.

[Menydh]

What you are posting there are women in uniform. Not that wearing a uniform makes one a warrior..

Also, have you noticed how clean all the uniforms are and how shiny the boots?

[OlafurThors]

Originally Posted by Aled

Some very interesting facts, but what you need to understand is that women are never put on the front line, well not in my army (yes. i am actually in my nations armed forces). The thought behind this is, if a women gets hit the men around her are mroe likely to run to her aid, if it was another man youd let him drop and come back for him later. So when a guy goes down you#ve only got one person out of the action, if a women goes down you#ve got her and the 3 other guys out of the action.

It is a fact that soldiers are trained to wound not kill. The reason is that by wounding men you take out two men not just one, the other will stop to help the one who got shot.

I can't remember a good army in history which had women in their ranks.

Historically:
Israel
Soviet Union
Aztec
Germanic Tribes B.C.
And many more

Current:
USA
Norway
Sweden
Belgium
UK
Russia
China
Iran
Germany
And many more

half of your reasons are because women are hot.

It was a joke, a little humor is always healthy.

[Strengthandhonour]

Just because a woman gets a gun dosn't mean she should be wielding it, just like child soldiers.
No one here doubts the ability of a woman to combat.What is being questioned from my perspective is that it's not really appropiate for women to be in the front lines. It's not where they belong. I don't doubt they can battle well, but I don't think it's their place to be there.
As far as women warriors go, I had never heard of aztec female warriors, so some info on that would be very interesting. Also, the most important female warrior of all times that comes to mind for me is Boudica..and we all know how she ended up.

[Vincent]