It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Female infantry may be allowed in the British Army by 2016 - Govt review paper

page: 1
4
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:33 AM
link   
www.gov.uk...


The Ministry of Defence has published a review paper, carried out earlier in the year by the Chief of the General Staff, Sir Nicholas Carter, into women in ground close combat roles.
The review, launched in May, has ended the long-held view that mixed close ground combat units would have an adverse effect on cohesion between troops.

However it also calls for further research into the physiological demands placed on those in close combat roles before a final decision is made on lifting the current exclusion on women.




Ground close combat roles place high physical demands on service personnel, and it is important that the impacts on women’s health are fully explored.
For women to undertake these roles without such research would be irresponsible and potentially place them at risk of personal injury. The physiological research programme will investigate how training regimes can be constructed to allow women to integrate safely, whilst protecting combat effectiveness.

So it appears that the Ministry of Defence wants it, the government wants it, I guess the next question really is how many women will want it?

I'm of the opinion that if an individual is capable of meeting the physical requirements then I see no reason why they should not serve, regardless of gender. I must add though that when I was a Royal Navy reservist it always annoyed me that female sailors had more time to do the mile and a half run, as well as being allowed to do lame press-ups with their knees on the ground, either you can lift your own body weight or you can't, and if female soldiers get to carry lighter packs/less equipment than their male counter-parts I'm not sure that really is the way forward.

Either way, if this happens then it is the very last piece of discriminatory legislation I can think of in the UK that anyone can whinge about...so can we now dare suggest that we have reached a situation where we really do have equal rights?

Thoughts?


edit on 7Fri, 19 Dec 2014 07:34:04 -0600am34122014f04am12 by grainofsand because: Typo


CX

posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:41 AM
link   
If they can meet the requirements of a front line soldier, fair play to them.

I've worked plenty of women who were fitter and more competant than the men.

Just have to deal with the matter of whether the public can handle seeing women coming home in coffins on a regular basis. That will be the hard one.

On the news this morning it was mentioned that women may not have that killer instinct that men have. Not always a bad thing, then again I'd argue that assumption.

CX.


CX

posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:41 AM
link   
Double post
edit on 19/12/14 by CX because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:43 AM
link   
Won't that mess their hair up, chip a nail



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:44 AM
link   
I don't know about the UK, but in America females can be MP's, and throughout the Iraq war/occupation, we deployed MP's to the front lines to do things like convoy security and even clearing rooms. Which you will notice is infantry work. They had to create a whole new combat badge just for these soldiers (the Combat Action Badge). Therefore, I have no problem with women being infantry.
edit on 19-12-2014 by Krazysh0t because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:46 AM
link   

originally posted by: CX
On the news this morning it was mentioned that women may not have that killer instinct that men have.

I heard that as well but I don't buy it myself.
...and I just heard a female Brigadier being interviewed on the radio saying that's a load of rubbish as well, she sounded pretty mean lol



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:49 AM
link   

originally posted by: CX
If they can meet the requirements of a front line soldier, fair play to them.

I've worked plenty of women who were fitter and more competant than the men.

Just have to deal with the matter of whether the public can handle seeing women coming home in coffins on a regular basis. That will be the hard one.

On the news this morning it was mentioned that women may not have that killer instinct that men have. Not always a bad thing, then again I'd argue that assumption.

CX.


Killer Instinct.. you've never met my Ex or her mother


CX

posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:57 AM
link   
There's also the natural urge for most guys to be protective towards a woman, I know when I was an MP and a female colleague was hit in any fights on duty, you'd see an air of red mist in me that doesn't usually come out. They could have been doing fine in their role, but it was hard not to be more protective than towards your male colleague.

Not any less protectiveness for a male colleage, but in a different way if that makes sense?

On the front line, this could affect a mission, but this has been done to death.......we'll only see if it works if its tried.

Good luck to them.



CX.


CX

posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 07:59 AM
link   
a reply to: YouNeedMe

Tell me about it.....my missus once ran out of cigs.....I might have well have offed myself there and then! :-)

CX.



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 08:00 AM
link   
a reply to: YouNeedMe
Yep, I think that lack of killer instinct thing is a crock as well...an ex who held a knife to my throat and even bit my nose over a mere verbal argument put an end to any thoughts I had of the 'gentle gender' lol



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 08:40 AM
link   
In Scandinavia its mandatory for men and women, although women get less time. Dear world, it's well past due. Reiterating, if they can pass the same bar that the men have to, they should be fully accepted.

I'd be surprised if they want to though, given the number of rape and harrassment cases that go unpunished...


a reply to: YouNeedMe
Really?



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 08:47 AM
link   
a reply to: grainofsand

If everyone wants equal rights, then everyone should be able to do everything equally....



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 08:55 AM
link   
a reply to: Ridhya
Agreed, here's the most recent story I could find about thr British Army but I wonder what the true figure is: Sexual assault allegations in military number 200 in three years

a reply to: Chrisfishenstein
Exactly, if a female soldier can carry the same equipment and perform the role to a standard equally required by a male then yep, that's equality as far as I see it.



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 10:50 AM
link   

originally posted by: CX
but it was hard not to be more protective than towards your male colleague.


CX.


no. it does not
my step father is old school. he was in the service and he is dead set against females.
one of his lame as excuses was if he and his unit was out doing whatever and for some reason the female got locked behind a door in a burning building or some # he would have a harder time cause he couldnt save her versus if it were a man from his unit.

i dont understand it and never will



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 12:06 PM
link   
I wonder if women will also be given the right to be forcibly conscripted into the military during times of war?
Once the precedence is set that allows women to join voluntarily it will be easy to force them to join involuntarily and go fight in wars.



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 12:16 PM
link   
a reply to: Tardacus
I am optimistic that there is no draft likely in the near future for the UK, but if there was, I imagine such legislation would apply equally to women as well, but I suspect it would not be enforced in practice.
We've had female medics on front line patrols for years now though, most recently Afghanistan.



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 12:25 PM
link   
It could work a couple of ways..once a month they either take to their bed with "Wimminz troubles" or batter the enemy with a shoe. Mental.
edit on 19-12-2014 by Soloprotocol because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 01:03 PM
link   
a reply to: Soloprotocol
I'll admit I chuckled at the shoe bit, but then I Googled british female soldier medic medal
...some impressive stories to find if you click on a few of the results.



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 01:05 PM
link   
Well, that's great news!

Here in Minnesota, female veterans can get veteran status license plates starting in 2015!

Progress.



posted on Dec, 19 2014 @ 01:28 PM
link   
a reply to: AgentShillington
I've learned something new today, never knew about US vehicle plates informing others that the driver/owner is a former service member, or veteran of conflict.
Here in the UK everyones plate looks the same aside from choice of a small UK/English/Welsh/Scottish/N.Irish/EU flag on the side.




top topics



 
4
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join