testtest

Combat-Ready but Feelings First

Talyn

Talyn

Emissary
Founding Member
In the grand tradition of empires in decline, the latest outrage sweeping the ranks isn’t about losing wars or hemorrhaging recruitment numbers—it’s that women in combat roles might be asked to meet the same physical standards as men. Scandalous. What’s next—asking pilots to see straight or submariners to know how to swim?

Critics argue these standards are just about “brute strength,” as though dragging a bleeding squadmate from a burning MRAP is merely CrossFit cosplay. Others lament that standards hurt recruitment, raising the obvious question: why stop there? Why not lower the bar until everyone, regardless of age, condition, or ambition, can step over it? After all, if anyone can do anything, shouldn’t everyone be a Navy SEAL by lunchtime?

havokjournal.com

Combat-Ready but Feelings-First • The Havok Journal

by Tammy Pondsmith, Director of Tactical Sensitivity and Adaptive Warfighting Inclusion Metrics for Article 107 News In the grand tradition of empires in Combat-Ready but Feelings-First
havokjournal.com havokjournal.com

1761159510602.png

Tammy Pondsmith once redefined asymmetric warfare by equipping battalions with emotional support lattes and redefining “fire superiority” as a group affirmation exercise.
1761159708352.png
 
Talyn said:
In the grand tradition of empires in decline, the latest outrage sweeping the ranks isn’t about losing wars or hemorrhaging recruitment numbers—it’s that women in combat roles might be asked to meet the same physical standards as men. Scandalous. What’s next—asking pilots to see straight or submariners to know how to swim?

Critics argue these standards are just about “brute strength,” as though dragging a bleeding squadmate from a burning MRAP is merely CrossFit cosplay. Others lament that standards hurt recruitment, raising the obvious question: why stop there? Why not lower the bar until everyone, regardless of age, condition, or ambition, can step over it? After all, if anyone can do anything, shouldn’t everyone be a Navy SEAL by lunchtime?

havokjournal.com

Combat-Ready but Feelings-First • The Havok Journal

by Tammy Pondsmith, Director of Tactical Sensitivity and Adaptive Warfighting Inclusion Metrics for Article 107 News In the grand tradition of empires in Combat-Ready but Feelings-First
havokjournal.com havokjournal.com

View attachment 96318
Tammy Pondsmith once redefined asymmetric warfare by equipping battalions with emotional support lattes and redefining “fire superiority” as a group affirmation exercise.
View attachment 96319
Click to expand...
Great piece. When I was in the Canadian military, there were slightly different criteria where fitness was concerned, but the difference wasn’t much. That being said, when I was training at my first unit (and I’m talking 1976 to 1980) I was expected to be able to do EVERYTHING the guys did. In fact, I was the sole female on my servicing crew and I worked nearly twice as hard as they did, not only to prove I could, but to gain their respect. When you are a member of a team, you don’t want to be known as a weak link.
Back then, we females saw that if you wanted to be in a male dominated position, you needed to prove you could do the job. Well, I gained their respect and eventually became what you guys might call a crew chief.
I have never expected any special treatment because of my gender.

I completely agree that if women want a role in combat, they MUST be able to do exactly what their male counterparts can to. We all know the physiological differences between the genders, and that is why historically it has been primarily the men who go to combat. Have a look through history though, at the female Viking warriors (shield maidens) and other cultures where women were trained to fight and defend their people.
Long story short, if women feel the need and draw to go to war with their male counterparts, they need to be able to pull their weight right along beside them.
 
SOME women can pass those standards-but not many. Whatever the left seems to think, women and men are NOT the same physically. War is a very tough, very demanding endeavor. I worked as a firefight for several years. I always wanted the biggest, strongest guy around with me on a line so he could drag my butt out if I got in trouble. For sheer physical strength the average man will always outperform the average woman. The loonies may not like it but such is life.
 
Last edited:
Shibadog said:
SOME women can pass those standards-but not many. Whatever the left seems to think, women and men are NOT the same physically. War is a very tough, very demanding endeavor. I worked as a firefight for several years. I always wanted the biggest, strongest guy around with me on a line so he could drag my butt out if I got in trouble. For sheer physical strength the average man will always outperform the average woman. The loonies may not like it but such is life.
Click to expand...
I wholeheartedly agree with this.
 
Shibadog said:
For sheer physical strength the average man will always outperform the average woman.
Click to expand...

I might correct this slightly by saying that the average man will very likely outperform the strongest woman.

FB_IMG_1524873435145.jpg


Long, Boring Post warning. TLDR: Men are stronger than women

I was in the Army and the National Guard from 1988 to 2003.

I was very average middle of the pack Soldier. I scored in the middle to the bottom of the top third on my PT test. I weighed 180 lb and the pictured artillery round was a little over half of my body weight.

I didn't have any problem putting it on the loading tray of a 109 or in the breach of 198.

For an average woman figure 130 maybe 140 lb that round would be 3/4 of her body weight. I'd like to see her pick one up and load it into a cannon.

And also when I was in the army we would very frequently have to pick up rounds and carry them to another gun so that everybody had an equal number of rounds. I want to see 140 lb woman do that three or four times with that 100 lb rounded on her shoulders.

I got into this argument in "college".

The very first time that my first unit had a practice Alert in Germany I was obviously wearing my uniform and LBE and old school Flack Vest and Kevlar. I had a 50 lb rucksack, in addition to that I was carrying a 7 lb M16. In addition to that I was carrying 125 lb 50 caliber machine gun and one barrel. Another guy from my section had the spare Barrel and the Tripod in addition to all his stuff. I also had to carry a duffle bag full of other TA50 to the motor pool which was a quarter mile away from our barracks.

I had to carry what had to have been equal to or a little bit more than my body weight up that Hill to the motor pool.

I pointed that out to my college classes while we were having this same discussion about women in the military and they crucified me.

I mean these 125 130 lb maybe 150 lb women went absolutely ballistic when I asked which one of them was going to pick up a 125 lb machine gun and all the other crap I had and walk a quarter mile with it?

They told me I was racist, they told me I was sexist, they probably said I was homophobic but none of them were willing to try it.
 
Last edited:
The Night Rider said:
I might correct this slightly by saying that the average man will very likely outperform the strongest woman.

View attachment 96539

Long, Boring Post warning. TLDR: Men are stronger than women

I was in the Army and the National Guard from 1988 to 2003.

I was very average middle of the pack Soldier. I scored in the middle to the bottom of the top third on my PT test. I weighed 180 lb and the pictured artillery round was a little over half of my body weight.

I didn't have any problem putting it on the loading tray of a 109 or in the breach of 198.

For an average woman figure 130 maybe 140 lb that round would be 3/4 of her body weight. I'd like to see her pick one up and load it into a cannon.

And also when I was in the army we would very frequently have to pick up rounds and carry them to another gun so that everybody had an equal number of rounds. I want to see 140 lb woman do that three or four times with that 100 lb rounded on her shoulders.

I got into this argument in "college".

The very first time that my first unit had a practice Alert in Germany I was obviously wearing my uniform and LBE and old school Flack Vest and Kevlar. I had a 50 lb rucksack, in addition to that I was carrying a 7 lb M16. In addition to that I was carrying 125 lb 50 caliber machine gun and one barrel. Another guy from my section had the spare Barrel and the Tripod in addition to all his stuff. I also had to carry a duffle bag full of other TA50 to the motor pool which was a quarter mile away from our barracks.

I had to carry what had to have been equal to or a little bit more than my body weight up that Hill to the motor pool.

I pointed that out to my college classes while we were having this same discussion about women in the military and they crucified me.

I mean these 125 130 lb maybe 150 lb women went absolutely ballistic when I asked which one of them was going to pick up a 125 lb machine gun and all the other crap I had and walk a quarter mile with it?

They told me I was racist, they told me I was sexist, they probably said I was homophobic but none of them were willing to try it.
Click to expand...
Well of course they did. Truth hurts when it’s not YOUR truth. I am amazed that the whole “women in combat” thing never, ever addresses the physical disparatity between men and women. Intellectually equal-sure. Physically equal? With very rare exceptions no, not even close for the VAST majority. My little 5’2” wife is very sharp mentally. She was CEO at a 2.2 million sq ft hospital and did great. Could she have EVER picked up 100 lbs? Nope, not on her best day.
 
The Night Rider said:
I might correct this slightly by saying that the average man will very likely outperform the strongest woman.

View attachment 96539

Long, Boring Post warning. TLDR: Men are stronger than women

I was in the Army and the National Guard from 1988 to 2003.

I was very average middle of the pack Soldier. I scored in the middle to the bottom of the top third on my PT test. I weighed 180 lb and the pictured artillery round was a little over half of my body weight.

I didn't have any problem putting it on the loading tray of a 109 or in the breach of 198.

For an average woman figure 130 maybe 140 lb that round would be 3/4 of her body weight. I'd like to see her pick one up and load it into a cannon.

And also when I was in the army we would very frequently have to pick up rounds and carry them to another gun so that everybody had an equal number of rounds. I want to see 140 lb woman do that three or four times with that 100 lb rounded on her shoulders.

I got into this argument in "college".

The very first time that my first unit had a practice Alert in Germany I was obviously wearing my uniform and LBE and old school Flack Vest and Kevlar. I had a 50 lb rucksack, in addition to that I was carrying a 7 lb M16. In addition to that I was carrying 125 lb 50 caliber machine gun and one barrel. Another guy from my section had the spare Barrel and the Tripod in addition to all his stuff. I also had to carry a duffle bag full of other TA50 to the motor pool which was a quarter mile away from our barracks.

I had to carry what had to have been equal to or a little bit more than my body weight up that Hill to the motor pool.

I pointed that out to my college classes while we were having this same discussion about women in the military and they crucified me.

I mean these 125 130 lb maybe 150 lb women went absolutely ballistic when I asked which one of them was going to pick up a 125 lb machine gun and all the other crap I had and walk a quarter mile with it?

They told me I was racist, they told me I was sexist, they probably said I was homophobic but none of them were willing to try it.
Click to expand...
Just…wow. I’m little. I know that. 5 foot 4, 120 with my clothes on a heavy day. I know my limitations. Too bad those butt hurt princesses weren’t provided with a reality check. I truly believe that those who do the whining and name calling should be forced to walk their “talk”. It would never happen though..🙄
 
Well, the good news is a proven scentific fact that a woman can withstand more G loading on the body than a man. Air Force doctors have proven with the human rated centerfuge to test pilots that men black out before women. Womans body is built different. It helps with G loading. It gives women an edge in air to air combat in tight turns over an enemy given all other factors considered equal.
 
Put the feelings aside and take action.

Hesitation in dangerous situations, when checking whether or not your action feels right, will kill somebody.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top