WOMEN IN THE MILITARY

Amber Smith, (September 3, 2015), Time to End a Last Vestige of Gender inequality in the Armed Forces. Retrieved on October 22, 2015, from http://www.newsweek.com/time-end-last-vestige-gender-inequality-armed-services-368403

This article talks about Women in the US Military and their fight and struggle for full integration, It first talks about the two female Officer who recently completed U.S. Army Ranger School.  It then goes on to talk about the Selective Service Act, and how it still only applies to only males within 30 days of their 18th birthday and older, who in time of war maybe called upon if a Draft is ever initiated again.  It also talks about how in the modern day women are an essential part of the military in a combat environment, and that how we as Americans living in a society that celebrates freedom and equality, but are still hung up on some points of equality such as women in combat rolls.

I choose this article because it talks about the first two female Officers to complete U.S Army Ranger School, which is no easy feat in it self, and for their inclusion into one of the Army’s most elite units.  It also goes on to talk about a much bigger issue, which is the beliefs this country has, and the need for it to change.  I believe this is a huge debatable subject, but living in a country that preaches equality and freedom and all that, we need to take a long hard look in the mirror at ourselves.  We cant sit here and talk about it, we need to be about it and start to make changes.  One place to start would be the “Selective Service Act”, and as Amber Smith says in her article ” But times have changed. Combat does not weigh on the burden of men only.  Women make up roughly 15 percent of the active duty military today.  In a post 9/11 world, women have proven to be not only effective on the battlefield, but essential”. With the inclusion of females in a lot of combat related jobs in the different branches of the Armed Forces, this should be amended to allow for women to be drafted the same as men if the case ever called for a draft.  This article brings up this point, but there are so many other topics this can lead into, such as homosexuals in the military, yes the policy has been changed, but have they truly been included into the Military.  I know what policy says but I believe there will always be people that don’t agree and will do what they can to alienate them.  There is also talk about allowing transgenders into the Military, but that’s a topic for another day.  This Article talks about how it is every Americans responsibility in time of war to defend our country no matter what race, religion gender or your beliefs, so why should women not be able to be drafted the same as men in a time of National Emergency?

This article was easy to read and easy to follow, as a active duty military member it is near and dear to my heart, also being married to a female Marine, I have first hand experience with females in the military.  This article raised many good points and left me with a few questions, such as is the Selective Service Act under review? if not why not? and when will it be reviewed and hopefully revised?  We need to evolve as a country with the ever changing world, we cant live with beliefs that were accepted back in the 1940’s, we have changed.  When will America come around to fully accepting females in combat related jobs? Why are we so against it? Is it because we believe women are too fragile? Or to important and needed for reproduction? Or is it because we still have the same beliefs as our ancestors did back in WWII? As I stated earlier, we as a country need to take a long hard look at ourselves and start to practice what we preach.  Freedom and full equality for all.