Pelosi: 'We Must Expand Opportunities for Women Serving in the Military'

[shawn703]

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on an amendment by the House Armed Services Committee last night to reverse an ill- advised effort by Republicans on the Readiness Subcommittee last week regarding women in the military:

"The Readiness Subcommittee action likely would have required the removal of tens of thousands of women from the jobs they are currently doing in Iraq and Afghanistan, brought unnecessary confusion to the Army during a time of war, and exacerbated an already bad recruiting environment.


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http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14556571&BRD=1711&PAG=740&dept_id=226956&rfi=6

[nolabels]

1. Is this subliminal code for her getting her own kids to want enlist?

My nephew leaving for Iraq in a month. Our son doesn't see any plus in joining the military. Our Son does like school now since in college he doesn't get treated like he was prisoner (as compared to high school).

[trogdor]

3. Not necessarily.

It's about equality. If you can do the job, you should be able to do it in any unit in the Army. Not doing this adversely affects advancement, and it presents weird HR problems.

I'll try to explain this without using too much military jargon.

For instance, promotion to the middle enlisted grades is on a sort of point system. You get points for doing well on your physical fitness test, for taking college courses, and so on. Every month, the manpower gurus at Human Resources Command compare manning numbers and determine how many people they need to promote based on their MOS (job). Gender is NOT a determining factor for promotions, but it is for assignments. Say the Army promotes 20 cooks in a given month. 15 of them are females, but the Army really needed someone to take over as mess sergeants in certain combat-arms units that are off limits to women. Even though you promoted 20 people, you still don't have anyone to fill those slots, and your manpower problems persist.

[rocktivity]

8. And since you'd STILL need to hire fifteen male cooks, Trogdor

you're stuck with having "no choice" but to consider a draft!

The head of the Army recruiting command was on Lou Dobbs yesterday, and said--with a perfectly straight face--that the main obstacle to his efforts was a strong job market. Well, between that and a new "no chicks in combat support" law, what's a commander-in-chief to do?

:shrug:
rocknation

[trogdor]

2. End the hypocrisy.

The House of Representatives is either in denial on the fact that women are already in combat, or they're in full patronizing mode. The fact is, 35 of them have already been KIA in Iraq alone, according to CNN this morning.

Where is the disproportionate outrage that we've put our daughters in harms' way? Have we forgotten that the Bush administration was all too eager to set up Pvt. Jessica Lynch as a heroine, never mind that we've willing sent her and a few thousand other female soldiers into harm's way?

I tell you, the idea that we are not ready to see women, in proportion to their numbers in the armed forces, coming home in body bags is a myth propagated by certain sexist members of Congress. The truth is, a soldier's gender has no bearing whatsoever on how much it pisses us off that yet another American soldier has been killed.

I think it is high time we face facts and remove these restrictions on women soldiers once and for all. Plenty of male military personnel would readily suggest that few of them can carry the gear, etc. OK, there are lots of male soldiers who are physically incapable of being an infantryman (for example). I have yet to hear anyone suggest that those who fail to meet the physical qualifications for a particular MOS be allowed to hold that MOS, so what the hell difference does it make what gender you are? I fail to see why a supply clerk, a food service specialist, or a personnel clerk (to name a few examples) of either gender shouldn't be able to fill any billet in the Army. To accept otherwise is to accept the waste of perfectly good manpower, not to mention patronizing and sexist.

[nolabels]

4. Does opportunity belong to that of being just like the other?

That is to say to be equal we must be able to do everything anyone else can do. Sounds very labor intensive to me.

Is this the same kind of thinking that all problems can be solved with force and violence.

I don't want to be a singer in a rock in roll band, a mule train driver or a bank CEO. I only need me to be me and thats all I want to be

[skygazer]

5. Equality means having the OPPORTUNITY to do whatever you want

It doesn't mean forcing others to allow you to do it when you're not able. If a woman wants a career in the military and she is physically and mentally able to do the job, then there is no reason she should not have the opportunity to do so.

I was the first female leadout at a dog track in New Hampshire. The guy who hired me was dumbfounded when I applied and I was told "a girl can't do it." I was stubborn and they finally agreed to "test" me.

I did everything they needed done, including things that would almost never come up (like putting an 80 pound dog in a top crate). There were guys in the job who could not do that but no one questioned their ability. Just mine.

You don't have to be a mule train driver but someone else may want to be. If they are able, there is no reason their gender should keep them from doing it.

[nolabels]

6. I don't have the ability

"OPPORTUNITY to do whatever you want" only can go along with the ability to do what you can do (your own limitations that is) I got to go to work but I agree with you mostly :hi:

[HockeyMom]

7. Religious Right

don't want women in the military, period. Hell, they don't want them in college, in the workforce, delaying their purpose in life. Distraction from the duty that women have under God to get married and make babies.

Go on their sites. Listen to what they advocate.

[Voltaire99]

9. One Galloway is worth a thousand Pelosies

Pelosi can't find time to sign Conyers' letter demanding Bush answer for the Blair invasion memo.

But she busies herself with military promotion duties.

What a tool.

Who gives a fuck about "opportunities" in the imperial army? Our paramount concern must be ending an illegal war--not advancing careerism.