Women in Ground-Combat Units Essay - 661 Words

On January 3, 2013 women were being considered for roles in ground-combat operations, causing a debate, can women effectively participate in combat? Some men and women are ready for the change and feel women can do anything a man can do. Others feel that it will affect unit cohesion and morale. Training standards being lowered to allow women to join more elite combat groups is another concern. Many people think women joining ground-combat units are only going to complicate the unit’s morale and cohesion by introducing sexual tension between squad members. The theory behind this is that these units need to bond together and, that men and women who bond together will develop emotional attachment. Emotional attachment does not sound too†¦show more content†¦The lowering of training standards weakens the unit as a whole. If the navy seals lower training standards to allow more members (male or female) they would no longer be an elite combat unit. Women that want to join elite combat units don’t want standards lowered because they want to earn their place in the unit and not have it just given to them. The men against women in ground-combat units fear that lowering standards to allow more women in ground-combat units will lower the effectiveness of elite units and the United States military as a whole. My conclusion on this debate is that women deserve the right to join ground-combat units. Women think differently from men. Women could add a unique perspective in the field. Women are also better negotiators and diplomats in some situations. As far as sexual assault and harassment goes there is no way to stop it, only deter it by increasing punishments for the crime. Pregnancy stopping unit deployment should be much of an issue either. Women that want to enter these units are going to have to work harder than the men to be eligible for these combat roles, making it unlikely for them to throw away all their hard work by getting pregnant. Men’s instinct to protect women shouldnt even be an issue in this debate if men are so protective of women why are people using sexual harassment and assault as an argument? Doesnt the military train its soldiers to protect each other regardless of gender? The only realShow MoreRelatedWomen s Defense Of Defense Policy Preventing Women From Se rving At Direct Ground Combat Units Opened Pandora s Box1377 Words   |  6 Pagesecretary Panetta s decision to repeal the Department of Defense policy preventing women from serving in direct ground combat units opened Pandora s box. We have since witnessed a fierce debate over whether women should be allowed to serve in specialties previously opened to males only. 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