This is the fifth post in a row I’ve written about integrating women into combat units; I originally intended three.  So what do I think?

Review

Women are definitely too physically different from men, and combat too demanding, to make suitable combat soldiers.  The disparity is enormous.  Also, the social dynamics of mixed-gender organizations make them even less effective as combat outfits.

Feminism and careerism, the primary motives behind the push for integration, will pressure military organizations to lower physical fitness standards for entry, retention, and promotion.

The services can fight this by having their public affairs organs manufacture glowing puff pieces about token women.  They could also consider raising the organizational prestige of career fields where barriers to female entry are lower by appointing members of those fields to strategic positions traditionally held by maneuver officers.  The Air Force and Navy aviation have managed to avoid lowering standards, but this is fundamentally more difficult for ground forces.

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On the front lines of mollifying feminist ideologues

Integration will mean a thin layer of women spread throughout ground combat forces rather than special “amazon” units, given the United States’ current doctrine and force structure.  This will make it easier to conceal any ill effects from integration.

Thoughts

Regarding careerism: the biggest problem isn’t actually serving military personnel.  First, most career military of either sex realize pretty quickly that the odds of them rising all the way to the top and/or becoming the next Audie Murphy are both slim and look very different from the inside than to a civilian.  Just as an example, pilots in the Army are distinctly second-class in terms of the organization overall, but most of them enjoy their careers and the fact that an Apache pilot will never be SACEUR doesn’t bother him at all.  Nor will the Marines have another flying commandant anytime soon. Second, I’ve noticed that firsthand professional exposure to combat arms leaders quickly disabuses the overwhelming majority of women of the idea that they can compete.

There will almost certainly be a two-woman minimum in companies, if not platoons.  This might lead to some “lumpiness” in the distribution of women combat personnel given their low number.

Rising numbers of women in combat arms are an indication of falling standards.

Regardless of what I think, we’re all going to find out what happens over the next few years.  An exciting time to be alive, for sure.