With a woman now being held as a P.O.W., how do you feel about women being in combat?

I always said a woman can do anything a man can do in combat. Like being a pilot or a mechanic, but now seeing a woman being held, it just makes me want to change my mind.

I know the woman captured, worked in some sort of support. It's just heart wrenching to see any of them being held, especially a woman.

By Melanie on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 12:39 pm:

I think that when a woman signs up for this, she knows what she is getting into. She knows the dangers. If she is capable and willing, I see no reason to stop her from going into combat.

That said, I hate to think of this woman being held. Knowing their views of women and of Americans, it tears my heart out to think what they might be doing to her. I pray for the safe return of all our POW's. I hate knowing they are in enemy hands.

By Beth on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 04:13 pm:

I know personally it wouldn't be my choice to do it. But I think if a woman wants to she should be allowed. I feel bad about the whole thing and honestly I am avoiding watching anything about it. It is to disheartening.

By Nanaoie on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 05:43 pm:

It really is hard to watch, knowing she is a mom.But, she knew this was a part of the army.I think the women are very brave.

By Annie2 on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 06:02 pm:

DH was a Marine for over 12 years. He is a veteran from two conflicts. Beirut and Desert Storm plus helped the Kurds in their turmoil. He never wanted to have a woman beside him in combat. He felt it would change the dynamics of the people involved. Since I have never been in the military, I have to use his judgment as a guideline.
The women in the US military have made this choice to be in the armed services. It can offer substantial education and salary benefits; medical services included. It is an unselfish committment to their country, to us. However, they are trained for war and to protect our country and/or interests. They take an oath.
All I can say, is thank goodness I am not in the military. My goodness, I hate driving to the store at night!
God Bless our servicemen and women plus their families. Godspeed for their swift and safe return to this great nation.

By Ginnyk on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 - 07:03 pm:

I am assuming none of us like the idea of anyone, man or woman, in combat.

Women in combat - I have heard the argument that it changes the dynamic of a troop if there are women in a combat unit. Possibly ... I am sure it changed the dynamic of a combat unit when the units were forced to be racially integrated. And that is something the military learned to deal with - I assume over time they will deal with gender integrated units reasonably.

It is a given that women are, by and large, at risk for a form of treatment that men generally do not risk when captured - rape. And other sexual harassments. And I am sure that this is something covered in their training, but I am not sure any training really prepares for the reality. As I am sure that training does not prepare any military person for the kinds of treatment they may be subject to if captured in Iraq (evidenced by the reports of men captured during the Gulf War, and of POWs from the Viet Nam war). This is certainly a special vulnerability for women.

Still, if a woman in the armed forces is to be eligible for promotion to certain kinds of positions and ranks, she must serve in combat - without the combat experience she is blocked in some career advancements. Which is why women in the military (and outside) worked hard to remove the barriers to having women in combat units. I don't think that's inappropriate to make combat experience one of the criteria for advancement - I don't think anyone should be making tactical or strategic decisions who has not been shot at and at direct risk of harm, as a reminder of the potential consequences of the decisions they make.

So I guess overall I think women in combat are OK. I believe they have the right to take the oath, receive the training, earn the benefits, and take the risks just like men. And I wish the benefits were greater and the risks fewer for all of them.

I remember this subject coming up when I was at a conference on women's rights. A woman in the audience said quite clearly that she didn't think women should be drafted (they were still drafting at that time) because they would be at risk, and she didn't want her daughter in the military and at risk. My response at that time was that I didn't believe that the life of her daughter was any more valuable to her than the lives of my sons were to me, and if we were to risk the lives of our sons in war, our daughters should not be exempt - that being subject to the same risks as men was (and is) one of the prices of being considered equal.