Nothing gets a woman more determined than to tell her she can’t do something, especially when she has already set her mind to it.
Whether ground combat positions are available to women or not in the future, the door to discussion is open.
The U.S. military has maintained that women cannot hold ground combat positions and for some women that just makes them want it that much more. This has driven so many women to fight for the chance to prove they can, that they measure up and have what it takes to do the job.
In 2013, for the first time women were able to enter into roles that were previously only held by men. Just as doors have opened to women in new areas throughout the military though, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has made a few comments that might set that back. “Allowing women to serve in ground combat positions could make them more vulnerable to sexual predators,” Carter remarked to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets at Georgetown University.
Obviously, as we get women into more unaccustomed positions, maybe dangerous isolated positions, maybe positions where they are fewer in relation to the number of men, it opens up opportunities for predators.
He then spun it and said there could be a positive effect of bringing more women into areas that have only been open to men.
“I can’t help but believe for many people; they’ll learn better how to conduct themselves, how to interact across gender lines and so forth. And that will contribute to prevention and eventually eradication of sexual assaults,” he added.
Social media exploded with comments in all directions replying to Carter’s statements.
Carl Woog, a spokesman for Carter, quickly came to his defense saying Carter opened the door to 20,000 new jobs for women in the military since taking office and that he is committed to ending sexual assault within the ranks.
How do you feel about Carter’s statements?
Some people on social media have honed in on “allowing” women to have these positions as anti-feminist. Others have fixated on “make them more vulnerable,” as if women were completely defenseless. I particularly liked one comment:
“How about we bar predators from combat roles instead of women doing their jobs?”
If Carter really wants to open military positions to women, are these comments helping or hurting that goal? Many people are mad and in this digital age, they aren’t afraid to sound-off about it.
This uproar could actually be a good thing though. It has people talking about sexual assault in the military. While some are afraid jobs will be closed off to women because of the potential risk of predators, I’m more inclined toward opening those doors. I want to see women fill those roles and lead our great country. I want them to succeed.
Whether ground combat positions are available to women or not in the future, the door to discussion is open. It is apparent at least with these few comments Defense Secretary Carter has a spotlight now shining on him. Will more jobs become available or will they be closed off to women because of him? Hopefully, the military will see changes for the good, no matter what those changes may be.
Having served from 1975 to 1995 in the Air Force much of it spent in “nontraditional” roles some of which were “not allowed” and yet I was “unofficially” assigned anyway all I can say is Give CREDIT to what ALREADY has happened.
The majority of my career was spent as the ONLY woman assigned to a group and I saw little to no difference in treatment between traditional and nontraditional duties even back then when pinups, porn and desk drawer whisky bottles were still common. If anything, the “office jobs” were more rife with misogyny than the field work.
Was I “vulnerable” ?
No more than when I was serving in more traditional duty for women. Women were only 2 percent of the military when I enlisted.
I kept it professional and made clear that my focus was my career, duty and family. It worked for the most part even during a time when there was far more systemic discrimination and disrespect.
Since then a lot has changed – My daughter is Army and also in a traditionally male field. She’ too keeps it professional and focused on her assigned duties.
The problems that do arise on duty now seem to be from outdated stereotypes that are slowly disappearing as society itself changes..
Off duty – there can be the same interpersonal difficulties and problems faced by civilian counterparts.
In the civilian world women have taken on male jobs without such angst if they can do the work they get the jobs. and hopefully the credit for their work.
The same standards should apply to the military.
The military should not be the “last bastion” of discrimination.
These non-traditional roles that you and your daughter held, were they “ground combat” roles?
People are people no one can or should judge their capability but them
Selves!! That being said-the military or any origination has to chose people based one probablities! Not on what they think is there rights. There are years and a multitude of failures.
How many ways must we try to put a square peg on a round hole!
I believe the gentleman should examine the situation rather than making absurd remarks from the past. Women serve in combat roles in Israel for example. I find the idea of a women being vunerable while armed and armored a bit absurd as well. Would you bother a women who is armed with a rifle or machine gun? They are bothered while in training for any noncombat jobs so why don’t we just throw them all out so no one can bother them? Do you get the point?
Non-sense, utter and complete non-sense.
I served in the Air Force from 1972 – 1974. I was sexually assaulted by a superior NCO whom I worked with. Ironically enough, we worked at the Law Center for the Judge Advocate General. The NCO who assaulted me worked in Military Justice. I tried to report the crime to my OIC, a Colonel who was also an attorney. I was told that my predator was to retire in three weeks and if I went ahead with reporting the crime and messed up his retirement they would make the rest of my time in the Air Force very difficult. So I said nothing. I ended up with substance abuse problems and severe PTSD. What’s my point? The women aren’t the problem. It’s the predators. They need to be held accountable for their actions. Stop sweeping this under the rug. Sexual assault can happen anywhere, anytime and in any scenario.
Well, when I was stationed with a grunt battalion, I was sexually assaulted by an afghan on the fob. No one knew how to react, it was crazy. All that happened was he got kicked off base.