Two Canadian Women Peacekeepers wounded

Originally posted by Tony Smith
The Australian Army is currently debating wether to allow female soldiers in combat roles, but the debate is being driven not by equality issues but rather falling recruiting numbers! This seems to me to be looking at the problem the wrong way, ie if you can't get the soldier you want, alter (or lower) your standards to get the numbers you need.

I guess that when combat soldiers are needed and there are not enough "men" to fill the bill, then it's time to use what resources are actually available. In this case it would be a case of the real needs for combat units outweighing the perfectionistic ideals of having perfect combat units (ie all male) .... Necessity doesn't wait for idealism. Reality calls for combat units. Priorities must be suited to realities.

If all men were drafted and there were not enough numbers but there were ablebodied and capable women able to fill the need ... then mixed gender units would have to work together, and in so doing, perhaps this would go a long way to teaching the individuals, both genders, to overcome their own conditioning and just do the job as necessary?

I've never had the chance to talk with women in the miltary to hear their views and thoughts about this ... I can only imagine how frustrating and hard life in the military can be sometimes for the women when gender comes between her and her service abilities and wanting to do her duty.

Karmen