Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Women in Artillery Units

Here is a story about women in artillery units dated Apr 01, 2013 published in Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer by Drew Brooks ...

Women Break Ground in Combat Roles
"The question of whether women can serve in Army roles previously restricted to men is being answered on Fort Bragg, where the male-only world of artillery has opened to female soldiers. Last summer, the 18th Fires Brigade began a pilot program aimed at introducing female officers to what were once all-male units.
The program began even before then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the repeal of rules against women serving in male-only positions.
Nearly a year later, the brigade is preparing to break ground again when it receives the first female-enlisted soldiers in an artillery unit in May."

More.

Here is what former 2/94 FA battalion commander and retired Lieutenant General Richard Trefry had to say when asked Friday, 25 Jan 2013 by NewMax's Paul Scicchitano about Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's announcement in January to allow women to serve in combat units ...

Ex-Lt. Gen. Trefry: Women Not Fit for Combat Infantry
"Retired Lt. Gen. Richard G. Trefry, for whom the Army’s Lifetime of Service Award is named, tells Newsmax that he believes Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is making a “mistake” in lifting the Pentagon’s long-standing ban on women serving in combat.
“I’ve served in combat. I’m a male and I just have often thought that I would not want my wife, my sister, my mother to experience some of the things that I experienced and what I saw,” explained Trefry in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. 'It’s just that simple.'
Trefry spent 33 years on active duty service in the Army and saw combat in Vietnam and Laos before going on to serve as Inspector General of the Army for his last six years under three chiefs of staff and secretaries of the Army."

More.

Meanwhile ...

Female Marines Fail Infantry Officer Course
"The only two women to participate in the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course (IOC) failed ongoing tests to determine which infantry positions should be available to women, according to the Marine Corps Times:
The women failed the introductory Combat Endurance Test, a punishing test of physical strength and endurance, officials at Marine Corps headquarters said Tuesday. The latest class began March 28 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., with 110 lieutenants participating. Ninety-six men passed the initial endurance test. Twelve men and two women — the only female Marines taking part — failed.
The two women both volunteered to participate in the IOC. Two other women had previously volunteered in September but also failed.
More.

Leave a comment if you have one.


"I do not believe in using women in combat, because females are too fierce." -- Margaret Mead

"I think women are too valuable to be in combat." -- Caspar W. Weinberger

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time are changing if women are willing to fight for the country why not

Anonymous said...

Give them a number and a uniform. If they can pass the testing required, should not matter if they are male or female , especially when they want to do it.