Essay on Inclusion of Women in Combat Duties
Gender-based policy prevents women from rising in the military ranks. The 1948 Women’s Service Integration Act prohibited integrating women in combat units (Kamarck, 2015). Currently, the Department of Defense (DOD) is yet to increase women in the infantry, artillery, aircraft, and ship operations, which undermines promotion of female staff. The essay argues for the inclusion of women in combat assignments to end gender-based barriers that restrict them from advancing in the military ranks.
Preclusion of women in the combat missions limits their career advancement. The DOD claims that women lack the physical and physiological capacity to handle risks. “Women are not psychologically and emotional equipped to deal with combat” (Pena-Collazo, 2013, p. 28). Contrastingly, studies show that female military staff has proven military coping skills since 9,000 received the Army Combat Action Badges for exhibiting resilience during the Iraq conflict (Kamarck, 2015). The Senate repealed the gender restrictive law in 2013and ordered the DOD to integrate women in all the combat units by 2016. Women have won accolades for high efficiency and physical preparedness necessary for inclusion in all the military departments.
The inclusion of women with technical proficiency in the war environment promises to double units’ enthusiasm. Evidently, female combatants undergo a similar training program, so they are equally qualified as men (Pena-Collazo, 2013). The military can benefit from dedicated servicewomen who are willing to defend their country and gain experience for faster promotions. Similarly, reforms should give women a choice to either accept or reject combat assignments since some fear exposure sexual harassment in the battle environment.
In conclusion, restricting servicewomen from warfare duties infringes their constitutional rights and equality before the law. Female military personnel will introduce diversity and inject new ideas into the military. Furthermore, the few women who have served as combatants have shown extreme resilience and readiness to fight. Even though the inclusion of women may increase cases of sexual harassment, disciplinary action will enforce order within the military units.
References: Essay on Inclusion of Women in Combat Duties
Kamarck, K. N. (2015). Women in combat: Issues for Congress. Congressional Research Service.
Pena-Collazo, S. (2013). Women in combat arm: A study of the global war on terror. U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.