Women in Combat By Corinna Goins

Did you know? Over 90% of military jobs are now open to women who serve in the U.S armed forces.

Women are able to serve as… Doctors Engineers Lawyers Paralegals Psychologists

Jobs that are off limits are in… Infantry Artillery Armory Special Forces

Women also serve in different Military Occupational Specialties… Civil Affairs Logistics Military Intelligence Military Police

Women during World War II… Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp established in 1941 Became Women’s Army Corp in 1943 First women other than nurses to serve in the army

Other women organizations… Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (W.A.V.E.S) Women Air force Service Pilots (W.A.S.P.S)

“The Direct Combat Assignment Policy” Introduced in 1994 excludes women from units that engage in combat They are barred from artillery, infantry, Special Forces, and other combat positions

The Jessica Lynch Story… She was the first woman prisoner of war rescued in American history She received a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and a Prisoner of War Medal and was honorably discharged from the Army in 2003

People show broad support… 53% of New York respondents favor women joining combat units Feminist groups complain that men and women should have identical capacities Soldiers were interviewed across Iraq, and some thought that women should at a minimum be allowed to be assigned to combat units or better yet let them qualify to join infantry

Women are essential to military effort… Women are truck drivers, helicopter pilots, and gunners on military vehicles and they have disposed of explosives They have patrolled bomb-ridden highways shouldering M-16 rifles and searched Iraqi women for weapons something men could not do for cultural reasons

Different countries… Canada has recruited women and has sent them straight to Iraq In Israel, women serve two years, volunteer for combat assignments, and serve as snipers Soviet women, who have been elite in combat aviation since World War II

Public figures who disagree… Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, was against women in combat She stated that if a male soldier were wounded on the field and needed to be carried to safety and the only one there was a female soldier she would not be able to do it

Deployment… It is normal to be deployed overseas once the decision is made to enlist into the armed forces There is also the absolute possibility of being shipped to Iraq or Afghanistan

Sexual Harassment… In a study done in 2008 there was an eight percent increase in sexual assaults against women, with about 3000 total cases reported According to a recent survey, a female soldier is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than die by enemy fire in Iraq

Pregnancy… Up to ten percent of active duty women personnel in the US armed forces are unavailable for call-up and duty due to pregnancy In 2007, only one percent of women were released due to pregnancy

Public Perception… Women are viewed as the caretakers of the family Women have the babies, take care of the house, and make sure they support their families

Physical, Mental, and Emotional Trauma… May suffer night terrors and remember horrible and life-threatening experiences They may be shot at, see a buddy or fellow comrade shot, or see death They may also be physically traumatized because they may have lost a limb or been injured severely

Conclusion… In the future, women should be able to serve and protect their country despite their gender and physical capabilities They are trying to break down the barriers and prove that they can do the same thing a man can

Any Questions?