ded@aplvax.UUCP (07/20/83)
I agree, women should have the right to be ripped to shreds by flying pieces of metal. But I don't think this right should be extended to ALL women. As a veteran, I've run into this issue before. And believe me, during my tour in the Air Farce I met many women who would have made excellent cannon fodder. But, by and large, men are more suited for this purpose. Combat is an experience which strips people of their imaginary selves, reduces them to the basic psychological conditioning of a lifetime. It is very important to understand that -- an understanding which is often missing in discussions of this issue (one person has already suggested that nursing is equivalent to armed combat, which is hardly the case). SOME women, sure; but if we insert women willy-nilly into our combat forces out of some compulsion to achieve "equal treatment", a disaster could result. Real combat is nothing like tv. Rather than getting women into our combat forces, maybe we should concentrate on getting men out. Don Davis JHU/APL ...decvax!harpo!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!ded ...rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!aplvax!ded
mam@rabbit.UUCP (07/27/83)
My view is that women should have a CHOICE. Just as some men don't
want to fight, some women don't want to fight. But if a woman chooses to
go into the military, she should also have the same choice as a man: does
she or does she not want to fight. I resent the fact that simply because
of my sex, something over which I have no control and no choice, I cannot
defend my country with my life if I want to.
Women are not less suited for combat because of their sex. Some women
and men are less suited for combat because of who they are.
And for me, last but not least, why should the men that I know and love
have the right to be killed, but I do not.
Meredith Morrisjoe@cvl.UUCP (Joseph I. Pallas) (07/28/83)
"My view is that women should have a CHOICE. Just as some
men don't want to fight, some women don't want to fight.
But if a woman chooses to go into the military, she should
also have the same choice as a man: does she or does she not
want to fight."
I beg your pardon. Everybody has a choice about whether or not he
WANTS to fight. What's denied both men and women in the military is
the choice about whether or not to fight. That's why you'll probably
find me in Canada if the draft starts. You're welcome to your "right
to be killed." I'll pass, thank you.mam@rabbit.UUCP (07/29/83)
Please correct me if I am wrong, but this is my understanding of the military's present policy concerning women. Women are now admitted into the military, but they are not required to register for the draft. Whenb women go into the military, they are not allowed to hold combat jobs, ie they can't fly planes or kill people, they can only push pencils. Now tell me this, what kind of equality is this? I repeat, why do only men have the privilege of dieing for their country? Meredith Morris
hammy@mit-eddie.UUCP (J. Scott Hamilton) (07/29/83)
> Please correct me if I am wrong, but this is my understanding of the >military's present policy concerning women. Women are now admitted into >the military, but they are not required to register for the draft. Whenb >women go into the military, they are not allowed to hold combat jobs, ie >they can't fly planes or kill people, they can only push pencils. Now >tell me this, what kind of equality is this? I repeat, why do only men have >the privilege of dieing for their country? > > > Meredith Morris To the best of my recolection, the only restriction place on women in the Army is that they cannot serve in the 'Combat Branches', for example, Armor and Infantry. The other brances can put you just as close (or closer) to the battlefield, and can be just as deadly. I could probably feel as confortable (relatively speaking) being shot at on the battlefield as being shelled back at the main camp. I am sure that there is no restriction on a women to kill people, and many of the slots left open could potentially require it. As to drafting, I don't think they are required to register. In my experiences with ROTC, the women where not trained any different than men, except perhaps, they were given more encouragement by the officers. I am proud to say that as a group the women seemed to make the better leaders, and often showed the most enthusiasm for the program. A number of them beat me on the on the running part of the physical; two miles in Army boots and under eighteen minutes is not that bad. One of the women in my old unit is going to Airborne School [Airborne!!] (jumping out of airplanes, an activity that is highly respected by Army people), another plans to go to Cold Weather Survival training. I would wish any women interested in the military, the best of luck. Please excuse me if I have offended any pacifist types (no flames please). -- J. Scott Hamilton !genrad!mit-eddie!hammy
dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale) (07/31/83)
That's why you'll probably find me in Canada if the draft starts. Sorry to disillusion you, but if the U.S. gets into a war, Canada isn't such a good place to go anymore. A few years back we signed a new agreement with the U.S. which provides for the return of draft dodgers. I don't know the details, and I don't know why we were being so helpful towards the U.S. administration in this. Dave Martindale, University of Waterloo, Ontario