04-11-2023, 01:28 PM
BFT and Klem are in the right ballpark.
But, first, we need to define "Frontline Combat." The infantry will have a different understanding of that term than naval personnel on destroyers or aircrew.
Mostly random thoughts follow - - -
Philosophically, I suspect that the tradition of keeping women out of combat derived from the need to assure survival of the tribe. To put it bluntly, population growth depends on the number of women who produce babies and not so strongly on the number of men who can beget children.
That constraint is not so clear in an era where we see serious discussions about reducing the human population, so the question posed by BFT has more relevance than a traditionalist might think.
My combat experience was as a pilot and I directed a fair bit of bombs and other ordnance at troops engaged in combat, so my thinking is influenced by that personal history.
My own view is that positions need to be filled by the best qualified for that position.
There are indeed positions where, in my view and experience, women are at least as capable as men. For example, flight crew, where strength is not as important as intelligence and stamina during long periods of flight. There are others as well.
While recent experience suggests that combat flight is not particularly hazardous, a substantial fraction of US casualties in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam were aircrew.
But, first, we need to define "Frontline Combat." The infantry will have a different understanding of that term than naval personnel on destroyers or aircrew.
Mostly random thoughts follow - - -
Philosophically, I suspect that the tradition of keeping women out of combat derived from the need to assure survival of the tribe. To put it bluntly, population growth depends on the number of women who produce babies and not so strongly on the number of men who can beget children.
That constraint is not so clear in an era where we see serious discussions about reducing the human population, so the question posed by BFT has more relevance than a traditionalist might think.
My combat experience was as a pilot and I directed a fair bit of bombs and other ordnance at troops engaged in combat, so my thinking is influenced by that personal history.
My own view is that positions need to be filled by the best qualified for that position.
There are indeed positions where, in my view and experience, women are at least as capable as men. For example, flight crew, where strength is not as important as intelligence and stamina during long periods of flight. There are others as well.
While recent experience suggests that combat flight is not particularly hazardous, a substantial fraction of US casualties in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam were aircrew.
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"To those who have fought and almost died for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."
-- Author Unknown
"If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!" -- Milton Berle
"To those who have fought and almost died for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."
-- Author Unknown
"If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!" -- Milton Berle