They're not guys: New gear to fit female soldiers

They're not guys: New gear to fit female soldiers

www.usatoday.com

Throughout history, military gear has been made with the male physique in mind. But for women in today’s combat or close-to-combat jobs, that can mean body armor that fits so poorly it’s tough to fire a weapon, combat uniforms with knee pads that hit around mid-shin and flight suits that make it nearly impossible to urinate while in a plane.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is a big deal, important stuff. Why wasn't this being done sooner? Quite an extensive article here and an important issue we can easily deal with. Warfare and implements of warfare is the US's chief commodity and trade.

Women are combat soldiers in all but front-line positions today. Women have been in the armed forces for a long time, historically speaking, forever. But they have been restricted from combat positions until recently. So therefore women did not need properly designed uniforms? Times and demands change, for making war America needs every hand available.

Seven hundred female Army troops are testing a new combat uniform for women with shorter sleeves and with knee pads in the right place for their generally shorter legs. A committee on women’s issues has recommended that flight suits be redesigned for both men and women so it’s unnecessary to disrobe before urinating. And engineers have been looking at ways to design armor that better fits the contours of a woman’s body.

Let's at least take care of basic needs here. Whether a combat uniform or a work uniform, when the clothes don't fit right it makes the job difficult. even dangerous. But perhaps women have been reticent in demanding such accomodations in a "man's world."

Some military women are reluctant to embrace changes that would set them apart from their male colleagues, but several said in interviews that the changes beat the consequences of the current one-piece flight suits or being unable to engage in battle or defend themselves because of uncooperative gear. Demands are changing with the times though.

With the mega-bucks dumped into warfare, by the world's foremost warring nation, I'm sure we can spare some pocket change for a fashion designer to properly outfit our well-appointed fighting counterparts.

www.usatoday.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Good idea I suppose and nothing wrong with being fitted for body armor or whatnot.

I can see all the jokes already forming but will refrain myself from making any yet.

I love that as a nation we can clothe, house, and feed millions of soldiers, but our mentally ill and disenfranchised die in our streets of hunger and exposure. Really shows where our values and priorities lie.

Originally posted by sunqueen30
I love that as a nation we can clothe, house, and feed millions of soldiers, but our mentally ill and disenfranchised die in our streets of hunger and exposure. Really shows where our values and priorities lie.

There are many places that feed and clothe mentally ill and disenfranchised people. Not all of them die on the street. And it should be noted that you only have that street because of the millions of soldiers we clothe and feed or do you assume America would still be here even if we had no military to defend it?

I know they have female police uniforms.

I love how they are "Under Development"

We've had the art of the tailor for a little while now. I mean it isn't exactly cutting edge science and the methods are pretty well laid out. How hard can it be to take some specs and make it to fit women?

Kro: I think you were thinking what I was thinking when I saw the title... No Camo panties that I saw...

reply to post by kro32


Obviously those resources are not enough if people are still dying in every city of every state in this country. I work with the homeless, so I'm speaking from experience. And you tell me what our "great" military has protected us from in the last 40 years? Know your facts before you disagree.

Originally posted by sunqueen30
I love that as a nation we can clothe, house, and feed millions of soldiers, but our mentally ill and disenfranchised die in our streets of hunger and exposure. Really shows where our values and priorities lie.

What?
A lot of people who are homeless are their on their own accord.

Originally posted by DuceizBack

Originally posted by sunqueen30
I love that as a nation we can clothe, house, and feed millions of soldiers, but our mentally ill and disenfranchised die in our streets of hunger and exposure. Really shows where our values and priorities lie.

What?
A lot of people who are homeless are their on their own accord.

Wow what an ignorant american statement to make. You think that having homeless on our street isn't a failure of you, I and this government we are victims of? I bet you consider yourself to be part of the crusade for truth and and justice since you are on an alternative site, but what are those things without compassion. I truly hope you never have to experience homelessness and the uninformed opinions of people as little as yourself.

Originally posted by sunqueen30
Obviously those resources are not enough if people are still dying in every city of every state in this country. I work with the homeless, so I'm speaking from experience. And you tell me what our "great" military has protected us from in the last 40 years? Know your facts before you disagree.

OK, so we haven't been conquering victors, but we have convinced folks messing with us gets very messy. I would say based on our dastardly deeds policies our government has been very well protected. It's still here.

But please, propose your solutions. More money you have asked for. What else? I believe I can propose a solution to properly attiring our women in the armed forces. As Jinglelord suggests, it's not entirely new science. I have been dressing and undressing women for years. I speak from experience.

Originally posted by Erongaricuaro

Originally posted by sunqueen30
Obviously those resources are not enough if people are still dying in every city of every state in this country. I work with the homeless, so I'm speaking from experience. And you tell me what our "great" military has protected us from in the last 40 years? Know your facts before you disagree.

OK, so we haven't been conquering victors, but we have convinced folks messing with us gets very messy. I would say based on our dastardly deeds policies our government has been very well protected. It's still here.

But please, propose your solutions. More money? What else. I believe I can propose a solution to properly attiring our women in the armed forces. As Jinglelord suggests, it's not entirely new science. I have been dressing and undressing women for years. I speak from experience.

edit on 23-4-2011 by Erongaricuaro because: (no reason given)

Excellent way of bringing it back to the subject at hand, lol. Our government has made a habit of reinventing the wheel and expecting praise for it. What the truth of this is that the military has always been misogynistic and is now taking very baby steps to correct it. Yay military!

Originally posted by sunqueen30
Yay military!

This is nothing to cheer about.

Females do not have a right to combat and the military shouldn't be giving in to the femlobby.

Every female we enlist or give a commission to weakens us militarily - it gives an advantage to every other nation who doesn't bow to the violent feminist ideology.

reply to post by Exuberant1


You really didn't get that I was being sarcastic? Really?

reply to post by sunqueen30


You forgot to post the sarcasm emoticon.

Let this be a lesson.

Originally posted by Exuberant1

Females do not have a right to combat and the military shouldn't be giving in to the femlobby.

Every female we enlist or give a commission to weakens us militarily - it gives an advantage to every other nation who doesn't bow to the violent feminist ideology.

edit on 23-4-2011 by Exuberant1 because: (no reason given)

How exactly do females not have a right to combat?

Now if you said on average they tend to have less upper body strength and statistics show women are not quite as good at spatial recognition plus hormone issues could make the stress of combat difficult for them I might say okay, lets not bother with special clothes.

The thing to remember is all of those things are generalities. If a woman can make it through whatever training and physical prerequisites are required for combat as US citizens they have the right to defend their country if they so desire. If the military has set their standards correctly we will be fie, if they haven't there are plenty of weak men that shouldn't be there either.

Besides we all know war is hell and women are the devil. Perfect match! (See I even included the correct emoticon so you wouldn't get confused)

Originally posted by Jinglelord

How exactly do females not have a right to combat?

The whole 'right to combat' thing I just made up recently.

But it does sound like something to argue over though right?

Instead of arguing over women in combat, we can argue over whether or not women have a right to combat. If your country's dudes are killing a bunch of muslims doesn't mean you have a right to be able to go and kill them too - just because your dudes are killing them.

Im sure this will come in handy for the smaller men too. It has always amazed me how often clothing manufacturers forget to adjust for the differences in other body parts, like rise for pants, or sleeve length, or all manner of random measurements. If you are not "average" sized for your gender, getting mass produced clothing that actually fits properly can be an adventure.