Richard
03-12-2013, 19:33
First, the Canadians, now the Aussies. Gender-neutral physical standards set the tone.
"MALE and female combat troops will have to meet identical scientific power and endurance standards before they can serve in frontline units."
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
GI Joe or GI Jane - It's All The Same For Australia's Elite Special Forces
News.Com.Au, 13 Mar 2013
MALE and female combat troops will have to meet identical scientific power and endurance standards before they can serve in frontline units.
That means women already in the forces who can pass the same muscular strength and endurance tests as men will be eligible to fight in combat units such as infantry, engineers and navy divers.
They will remain barred from special-forces while the elite units continue to "explore options".
The aerobic power challenges include two forced marches of five km in 55 minutes wearing 22.7 kg of fighting gear for all corps soldiers and and 10 km in 110 minutes wearing 38.5 kg of gear for a combat troops.
An anaerobic power assessment involves 12 six-metre bounds wearing 24.7 kg for non-combat applicants and 16 six-metre bounds carrying the same weight followed by an 18 metre leopard crawl for the combat soldiers.
Muscular endurance will be assessed with a jerry can carry involving two 22 kg jerry cans wearing 22.7 kg in 25 metre intervals over 150 metres (100 metre stretcher carry) for all corps troops and two 22 kg jerry cans over 275 metres (300 metre stretcher carry) for combat soldiers.
Muscle strength is tested with a lift and place involving a 25kg tin to a height of 150cm for non-combat and a 30 kg tin to 150cm for combat troops.
The nation's first female combat soldiers should be ready for war later this year, two years after the policy change was announced.
Defence Chief David Hurley yesterday revealed that recruiters hadn't been exactly knocked over in the rush by women eager to venture into combat.
He told a conference in Canberra that the slow response was expected and that most applications were for infantry and clearance divers.
General Hurley also revealed that 43 per cent of his staff was women.
"They can put their hand up and apply, but they need to go through the processes of being able to meet the physical employment standards," General Hurley said.
Defence Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon said the standards did not differ according to age or sex and were based purely on physical requirements.
"Importantly, the standards provide a sound basis for assessing whether someone has the ability to safely and effectively perform in a role," Mr Snowdon said.
"With the physical employment standards, many men won't get the jobs. A lot of women will."
Mr Snowdon said the aim of the change was to encourage more women into the military and ultimately to increase the numbers of women in senior roles.
Just 14 per cent of military personnel are women and a mere 12 per cent of deployed forces are female.
Women medics, drivers and other specialists have been serving on the so-called "frontline" for years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told the conference that change of this magnitude was seldom welcomed by everyone.
"On the contrary, you need to expect complacency, resistance and hostility in many parts of your organisation. If you expect it, it means you can anticipate it, you can plan for it and you can overcome it," Ms Bligh said.
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/gi-joe-or-gi-jane-its-all-the-same-for-australias-elite-special-forces/story-fncynjr2-1226595969749
"MALE and female combat troops will have to meet identical scientific power and endurance standards before they can serve in frontline units."
And so it goes...
Richard :munchin
GI Joe or GI Jane - It's All The Same For Australia's Elite Special Forces
News.Com.Au, 13 Mar 2013
MALE and female combat troops will have to meet identical scientific power and endurance standards before they can serve in frontline units.
That means women already in the forces who can pass the same muscular strength and endurance tests as men will be eligible to fight in combat units such as infantry, engineers and navy divers.
They will remain barred from special-forces while the elite units continue to "explore options".
The aerobic power challenges include two forced marches of five km in 55 minutes wearing 22.7 kg of fighting gear for all corps soldiers and and 10 km in 110 minutes wearing 38.5 kg of gear for a combat troops.
An anaerobic power assessment involves 12 six-metre bounds wearing 24.7 kg for non-combat applicants and 16 six-metre bounds carrying the same weight followed by an 18 metre leopard crawl for the combat soldiers.
Muscular endurance will be assessed with a jerry can carry involving two 22 kg jerry cans wearing 22.7 kg in 25 metre intervals over 150 metres (100 metre stretcher carry) for all corps troops and two 22 kg jerry cans over 275 metres (300 metre stretcher carry) for combat soldiers.
Muscle strength is tested with a lift and place involving a 25kg tin to a height of 150cm for non-combat and a 30 kg tin to 150cm for combat troops.
The nation's first female combat soldiers should be ready for war later this year, two years after the policy change was announced.
Defence Chief David Hurley yesterday revealed that recruiters hadn't been exactly knocked over in the rush by women eager to venture into combat.
He told a conference in Canberra that the slow response was expected and that most applications were for infantry and clearance divers.
General Hurley also revealed that 43 per cent of his staff was women.
"They can put their hand up and apply, but they need to go through the processes of being able to meet the physical employment standards," General Hurley said.
Defence Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon said the standards did not differ according to age or sex and were based purely on physical requirements.
"Importantly, the standards provide a sound basis for assessing whether someone has the ability to safely and effectively perform in a role," Mr Snowdon said.
"With the physical employment standards, many men won't get the jobs. A lot of women will."
Mr Snowdon said the aim of the change was to encourage more women into the military and ultimately to increase the numbers of women in senior roles.
Just 14 per cent of military personnel are women and a mere 12 per cent of deployed forces are female.
Women medics, drivers and other specialists have been serving on the so-called "frontline" for years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh told the conference that change of this magnitude was seldom welcomed by everyone.
"On the contrary, you need to expect complacency, resistance and hostility in many parts of your organisation. If you expect it, it means you can anticipate it, you can plan for it and you can overcome it," Ms Bligh said.
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/gi-joe-or-gi-jane-its-all-the-same-for-australias-elite-special-forces/story-fncynjr2-1226595969749