OK, I gotta say it. Women don't belong in combat.

[MADem]

66. They are not "completely different"--they are similar and account for biological differences.

These biological differences are used to determine what the "average" man or woman can accomplish using/applying the test elements.

Men carry less fat around their behinds, for example, and have more upper body strength. I'll wager if you strapped a twenty five pound bag of potatoes to a man's ass, and five pounds to his chest, he'd have trouble with those pull ups, even with the increased upper body strength.

More to the point, PT tests are required to be passed by EVERYONE--doesn't matter if you're filing personnel records, repairing a computer, wrench bending in the motor pool or on the flight line, or toting that weapon in a combat environment.

The PT test is NOT a "gatekeeper" exam for entry into combat arms. It's a gatekeeper exam for entry into the Corps and continued service in the Corps.

All services have PT tests. They're designed to ensure that personnel meet standards set by each Service's Chief. If you seriously think, though, that the standard applied to the average schmuck, regardless of gender, in the Navy, for example, is the same as the physical standard expected of a Navy SEAL, you're not looking at the full picture.

For this reason, your analogy is a fail. The implementation period will be used to determine if additional qualification standards need to be applied to combat specialities. If they're needed they will be crafted, tested and implemented.

Years ago, whiners complained that women couldn't be postal clerks because the mail bags were TOO HEAVY, and that MEN would have to come and lift the bags for the helpless little women. Because of this, any woman who was slotted into a military US mail handling position was required to pass an additional test at the Armed Forces Entrance/Examining Station (later Military Entrance Processing Station) that consisted of having to lift fifty pounds over their heads several times. That nipped that shit in the bud, and there was no more griping about women in the postal ranks.

I found, during my decades in service, that mixed gender units performed far better than single sex ones. There aren't many obstacles that can't be overcome if someone is motivated and qualified. And only qualified personnel--of either gender--will be slotted into these combat positions.

Not all men are Rambos, you know. In fact, quite a few aren't. I know more than a few women who could kick the living shit out of many men in their units.

I suggest you stop worrying about this decision by DOD and the Service Chiefs. They know what they're doing. Your concerns about "unfairness" are entirely unfounded. This is a smart move, and LONG overdue.

The vestigial chauvinists will just have to shrivel up and fall away--there's no place for them in the uniformed services anymore. Adapt or die.