FREE ESSAY ON WOMEN IN COMBAT

WOMEN IN COMBAT

In this report, I will present the information I've discovered concerning whether allowing
women to serve in combat units will reduce a units effectiveness.
Women in today's military serve in more jobs and constitute the largest percent of women
in the military they ever have. Four years ago women only made up 12 percent of the
military, this has climbed from 1.6 percent in 1973 (Armed Forces and Society, 1996, p.
17). They also hold more jobs than ever before. In 1991, congress passed an amendment
which allowed women to fly fixed wing and rotary wing combat aircraft in the military
(Harvard International Review, 1992, 52). The military has also opened more combat
support jobs in an effort get more women to join the military. Virtually every job is
open to women in the military; infantry, submarines, and artillery are the only ones that
are still off limits (Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 1996, p. 368). 
The only focus of my paper is whether there is still a need to ban women from direct
combat. First, let me explain the distinction between combat support units and direct
combat units. The military changed its definition of direct combat for women. This opened
up more jobs for women that had been off-limits (Congressional Quarterly Researcher,
1992, p. 844). The performance of women in these positions was tested during the Gulf
War. For the first time, American women flew combat missions and directly supported
infantry units (Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, 1991, p. 200). Many times they
were exposed to live fire, consequentially 13 were killed (Congressional Quarterly
Weekly, 1992, p. 842). However, women were never considered to be in direct combat. The
military's current combat exclusion policy states that women are prohibited from serving
in positions that are engaging an enemy with individual or crew-served weapons while
being exposed to direct fire, a high probability or direct physical contact with the
enemy's personnel, and a substantial risk of capture (Law and Inequality, 1991, p. 6). 
Many people feel that this policy is discriminatory towards women and only perpetuates
the view that they are not seen equally in the military (Luddy, 1992 as cited by Stencel,
1992, 836). This policy ensures the effectiveness of the combat unit, which brings me to
my next definition. The effectiveness of a combat unit is measured by its ability ...in
mobilizing, and deploying troops, effectiveness in battle measured by outcomes, mission
accomplishment or the ratio of United States versus enemy killed and wounded in combat
(Glenn, 1991, as cited by Peach, 1991, p. 212). 
In this report, I will discuss five sub-topics. First, I will discuss the experience
other nations have had with mixing men and women in combat. My next two sub-topics will
compare men and women in two ways. I will start my second sub-topic by comparing men and
women physically then comparing men and women psychologically. Then I will evaluate the
health care needs of women in combat support units. Finally I will discuss the effect
that women would have on unit cohesion. After discussing how these aspects can affect the
effectiveness of the military, I will draw conclusions as to how these factors connect to
the affects of allowing women to serve in combat. I will then the best possible
recommendation using all of the information I have gathered concerning women in combat.
I have come to the following conclusion during my research. I am unable to determine the
affect women in combat units will have. Undoubtedly, the majority of women are less
muscular and lack the endurance of men. However, there is a small percentage of women
that can equal or surpass some men currently serving in combat units. Also, I found very
little research stating that women were not psychologically equal to men. There were
three factors, which I used to compare men and women psychologically. I discussed how
males are perceived to be more aggressive than females, the stress that males and females
will face in combat, and female's effect on unit moral. Also I showed how important unit
cohesion was in determining a units effectiveness. The health care needs can be met by
combat support units when there are well trained physicians and nurses treat can handle
the needs of women (Military Medicine, 1995, p. 221). My recommendations are that more
tests have to be done. The first type of test would be an actual field test, submit men
and women to the same extreme standards for combat duty to determine if women were
capable for service (Congressional Quarterly Researcher, 1992, p. 846). Only then should
the military allow women to serve in combat units.
WOMEN IN COMBAT
FACTS
Only two countries besides the United States have used women in modern warfare. The first
was Russia during WWII and later Israel in 1948. Russian women flew fighters to protect
Stalingrad from advancing German armies and also took up arms to protect the city (The
Journal of Military History, 1993, p. 319). After the war, Russian women were banned from
all combat positions While in these positions it has been documented that they performed
extremely well. The women pilots were soon called Night Witches due to their great
performance (The Journal of Military History, 1993, p. 320). Israel during the War for
Independence, also used women in direct combat positions. The need for women to serve in
combat positions became great because so many men had been killed on the front lines.
Like the Russians, after the conflict ended the Israeli military prohibited women from
serving in these positions (Harvard International Review, 1992, p. 58). Many researchers
after examining how women performed in these positions came to the same conclusion. They
noted that the effectiveness of the combat unit was in jeopardy because of women. Men
became overprotective of women and jeopardized the safety of the unit by taking
unnecessary risks to protect women from danger (Harvard International Review, 1992, p.
58). Also less then one percent of the soldiers who were killed during the war were women
(Bloom, 1982, as cited by Landers, 1989, p. 579).
DISCUSSION 
The Russian women who flew combat missions during WWII are similar to the types of
missions female pilots are expected to perform. During, the Gulf War, they flew jets and
helicopters into combat zones along with their male counterparts (Congressional Quarterly
Researcher, 1992, p.842). Although, the women as a whole did not see much combat, the
performance of Russian women prove that they would be able to handle the stress of air
combat. The Israeli experience with women in combat is much different from the Russian.
After the war ended the Israeli military conducted a survey which determined that the men
were adversely affected by seeing women killed or maimed in combat (Editorial Research
Reports, 1989, p. 579). In 1948, women all over the world accounted for a very small
percentage of the military. This led to a traditionalist view of the role of women in the
military and many Israeli men shared this view. 
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF COMBAT
FACTS
Serving in a ground combat unit is the most physically demanding job in the military. To
serve with a ground combat unit males have to be in excellent physical condition. Women
as a whole according to Pentagons studies have half the physical strength as men and only
2/3 the endurance (Congressional Quarterly Researcher, 1992, p. 846). The Canadian
military has acknowledged these differences and still allowed women to serve in direct
combat positions (Editorial Research Reports, 1989, p. 570). Any female that can pass the
10-week infantry course can serve in the Canadian infantry. The Canadians have not
lowered their standards for allowing women in combat but set rigorous standards and
applied them to both sexes (Harvard International Review, 1992, p. 53). 
DISCUSSION
The Canadian military has taken the first step toward allowing women to serve in ground
combat (Editorial Research Reports, p. 576). The vast majority of women are unable to
handle the physical demands of combat but there are many that can function in various
combat environments (Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, 1991, p.217). To determine
if women are suited for ground combat the military should conduct field testing. Females
have to be able to do everything their male counterparts can do. A female in an infantry
unit should not only be able to carry the standard M16A2 service rifle but every weapon
in the company. If the machine gunner or mortarman is killed a female should be able to
carry his weapon. The whole team concept that is vital to a combat units effectiveness
and is called unit-cohesion (Editorial Research Reports, 1989, p. 582). Maintaining unit
cohesion is vital for any leader to lead his troops into combat (Hamline Journal of
Public Law and Policy, 1991, p. 213). If women were unable to meet any of these physical
standards then the military's exclusion policy should remain in affect.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF COMBAT
FACTS
There are many psychological differences among men and women that are as important as the
physical ones that separate the genders. The first difference is that men are more
aggressive then women due to testosterone levels (Law and Inequality, 1991, p. 21). Under
this assumption females would not perform as well in combat because they lack the
aggression that males have (Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, 1991, 223). Another
psychological factor is that men would feel the need to protect women from harm similar
to the Israeli soldiers in 1948 (Harvard International Review, 1992, p. 58). The stress
in combat is another factor that many people feel women would not be able to handle.
There have been no documented cases among women who served in the Gulf War that they
could not handle the stress (Hypatia, 1995, p. 65). Air Force pilot Rhonda Cornum who was
shot down during the gulf war is an example of women's ability to cope with stress
(Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, 1991, p. 222). As a POW she dealt with many
forms of abuse and still managed to cope with her situation the her fellow male prisoners
did. Almost fifty percent of servicemembers surveyed during the Gulf War said that
fraternization within the unit decreased its morale (Congressional Quarterly Researcher,
1996, p. 375). 
DISCUSSION
The performance of Russian women in WWII refutes the theory that women are less effective
in combat then men. German troops were quoted as saying they were more afraid of the
female pilots then the male (The Journal of Military Affairs, 1993, p. 320) Secondly, the
women seeking combat positions will generally be more aggressive than the majority of
females who stay within traditional roles within the military. Although women performed
well in the Gulf War, the 4-day war was not long to provide empirical evidence as to how
women would perform in combat situations (Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 1992, p. 842).
More research has to be conducted to determine the long-term effects women would have on
a combat unit. Decreasing fraternization within a unit is the commanders responsibility.
This relies on effective leadership from the bottom all the way to the top ensuring each
member within the chain of command understands the effects of fraternization (Hamline
Journal of Public Law and Policy, 1991, p. 215). 
UNIT-COHESION IN A COMBAT UNIT
FACTS
When a units moral is lowered this can lead to a decrease of the unit-cohesion that must
take place within a combat unit. No studies have been done to prove or disprove women in
combat would lower a units moral (Editorial Research Reports, 1989, p. 582). In the
majority of combat units it is effective leadership and training that results in the unit
cohesion (Hypatia, 1995, p. 65). Also many senior military officials feel that anything
feminine destroys male-bonding and units should remain strictly male (Hamline Journal of
Public Law and Policy, 1991, p. 213). However, a study of cohesion and readiness of
combat support units during extended field exercises proved otherwise (Armed Forces &
Society, 1996, p. 17). Male and female soldiers were asked questions about how they felt
their unit performed in the field. The study showed that the proportion of women (up to
35%) had no significant effect on the operational capabilities of the unit. (Armed Forces
& Society, 1995, p. 17). 
DISCUSSION
Unit-cohesion is the commander's responsibility for his unit. As the above survey shows
men and women can interact without a decrease in unit cohesion. More importantly this
survey was done while the unit was on a field exercise where stress levels are the
highest. It was determined through the survey that when there are up to a third of the
women in a unit this has no effect on unit-cohesion (Armed Forces & Society, 1995, p.
17). There have been no long-term studies done to determine if women in combat units will
reduce unit cohesion (Editorial Research Reports, 1989, p. 582).
HEALTH CARE OF FEMALES
FACTS
Both men and women in the military face many of the same health care needs. When a member
of any unit becomes sick or injured and cannot be deployed this affects a units
effectiveness. In the Gulf War, 9 percent of women could not be deployed with their units
(Congressional Quarterly Researcher, 1992, p. 839). Women also have many gynecologic and
non-gynecologic needs (Military Medicine, 1992, p. 221) that would have to cared for by
trained physicians. In 1992 army researchers conducted the first extensive study on women
deployed with combat support unit. In the study of a Heavy Armor Division during the Gulf
War, it was discovered that women's health care needs can be met by well-trained
physicians and that there presence did not have a significant impact on a units
effectiveness (Military Medicine, 1992, p. 221).
DISCUSSION
There are many stereotypes people feel make a combat unit not feasible for females.
However, closer look at the numbers reveals that men lose more time because of drug and
alcohol abuse then women do with these three factors combined (Congressional Quarterly
Weekly, 1992, p. 839). As women continue to become an integral part of the military their
health care needs should be meet by well-trained doctors and nurses (Military Medicine,
1992, p. 219). Given this evidence there is no logical basis for excluding women from
combat to their health care needs
CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS
Women will make up nearly a fourth of the military within the next fifty years
(Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 1996, p. 380). As their numbers increase so should the
amount of jobs they are allowed to perform. Whether or not women should serve in combat
should still be openly debated. There is no doubt that some women could handle the
physical and physiological demands of combat (Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 1992, p.
846). That is not the most important question that has to answered. The fact is that many
men would not be able handle seeing women in combat. Like the Israeli in 1948, the impact
of seeing rows and rows of dead females could be too much to bear for many men (Harvard
International Review, 1992, p. 58). The Gulf War did not provide enough data to conclude
that women should be allowed in combat. Women did perform well in the jobs they were
assigned, however, the war was not long enough for the military to evaluate how they
would perform under fire (Congressional Quarterly Researcher, 1992, p. 842).
There is only one question that needs to be answered. How will the effectiveness of the
combat unit be affected by allowing women in combat? This report has defined
effectiveness and through empirical research shown the various aspects that can affect a
military units effectiveness. After conducting my research and answering the scope
questions I have determined that more research needs to be done. To simply allow women to
serve in combat units if they meet the qualifications would be impractical. The military
has to conduct extensive field-testing to answer this question. Every facet that women
would bring to a combat unit has to be analyzed. When the military community determines
that women in combat would not lower effectiveness, only then should women be given the
chance to serve in combat units.
Bibliography
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