Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusty
Would you mind clarifying that premise? I can't figure that one out.
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Let's say the female is a great performer in some aspects, and gets assigned to an elite unit....Rangers, SF, whatever. Let's say, best case, she is low maintenance/low drama and keeps her head down and does her job.
Her team/unit is off on deployment, doing work that is difficult and draining physically....maybe because they are in a remote location, or because they are humping heavy loads, or they are getting little sleep because they are constantly under attack, or because they are mentally/emotionally drained dealing with incompetent local forces.
She is doing her best, and she's not complaining, but is falling behind on her duties. The men are filling in around her, which is further draining them and they resent it. The violence of the attack against them escalates, some are hurt, and she is needed to help in the exfil. The men, attempting to protect her or take some of her load, are injured or killed. Who keeps stats on "Unnecessary Deaths Due to Weak Female"?
And that is a best case scenario....instead, there will more than likely be drama. The guys will be fighting over her, or she will be playing them against one another, or they be distracted trying to deal with her and not focused enough on the mission at hand, which can cause injury, death to some, and severe resentment to others, to the point they leave the unit or retire out of the service altogether. I'm not even touching what happens if she gets pregnant. Who keeps stats on "Unnecessary Death or Dismemberment Due to Female Drama" or "Unnecessary Retirement of Great Soldiers Due to Female Drama"?
Or let's say she's aging. She managed to qualify for an elite unit under the toughest standards at the age of 25. She is an unusual physical specimen in outstanding shape. How long can she maintain it? You guys can do more than us even if you age, gain fat and lose cardio shape. How much time will she actually have at her peak? 2-3 years? Then as she starts to decline, how many men will get caught up in pulling her weight? Even if she doesn't get herself killed, how many others suffer the consequences? Who keeps stats on "Unnecessary Death Due to Female Strength Decline"?
Or let's say she's a mom with a young baby at home. Will guys put their lives at unnecessary risk trying to make sure that a mom lives? How many will be physically or mentally scarred trying to ensure it? Who keeps stats on "Unnecessary Death Due to Chivalry"?
Take that and multiple it out across the elite Special Operations forces.
Dusty, those were my thoughts as a civilian. It sounds like many of you have strong wives, daughters, mothers or sisters. Strong women are inspirational to me. That is not the point. Putting otherwise strong women into a ground-based, elite fighting force when our numbers of volunteer men don't require it, and our mission doesn't require it, is astounding to me. Even if the females don't die in stacks, how many men are sacrificed to ensure we can implement someone's political agenda. No one will track that.