It's a Male-Dominant Profession for a Reason
Opponents of women being integrated into combat positions often cite the physical differences between the genders as a reason why it won't work. Another big issue among the discussion deals with unit cohesion. The military is undoubtedly a male-dominate environment. Men constitute a significant portion of the Armed Forces and those who serve together often form strong bonds together. Words like "brother" and "family" are not uncommon among the military. These bonds are somewhat exclusive to combat units, where soldiers have engaged in direct combat together. Some argue the bonds formed by the men overseas make the military a prime fighting force. Thus, integrating women into combat units will undermine this ideal and negatively effect those who serve. Opponents of women in combat argue that the male-dominant culture of a combat units is just as important as a weapon. As one former Marine who experienced heavy fighting in the South Pacific during World War II puts it, “The strong kinship formed among grunts is what kept us fighting.”
Distraction
Another way in which unit cohesion can erode when women join combat units is due to distraction. This is an argument that both men and women see as a problem (as seen in female soldier pregnancy rates). Nearly 50% of enlisted military personnel are 25 years old and younger. At that age, sexual distraction can often get in the way of military preparedness, which can often lead to inappropriate fraternization with the opposite sex. Additionally, nearly 60% of enlisted soldiers in the Army are married. Researchers suggest that this is especially high because soldiers want people who love them to remember them. They want children to carry on their legacy because returning home is not always guaranteed. However, is the military unit the best place to find a spouse? It is estimated that there are nearly 84,000 military-maried-to-military couples in the U.S. military. It is important for members of the military to have a strong spousal support unit, but when it comes from inside the military, challenges can arise.
My Own Experience
Having served in the military myself, I know the military is not for everyone. If you make a mistake, for example, the leadership will do everything in their power to make sure you don’t do it again. This is known as corrective training. “Drop and give me 20,” is often an expression you may hear when someone messes up. Whether the method is effective or not is another argument. However, there are instances, which I have seen firsthand, when a male soldier in a leadership position has to discipline a female soldier. With sexual harassment being a big issue in the military, some refrain from disciplining a female soldier for fear of reprisal. If the goal is to build the most effective soldier, there cannot be any differences in the way each gender is trained and treated. While this is just one example that shows how the genders are treated differently, some argue that examples like these are proof that women do not belong in combat positions.
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Banner Photo Source: Security Line, U.S. Department of Defense