On June 12, 1948, President Harry Truman signed into law the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. The Act gave women permanent status in the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marines. The services became an All-Volunteer Force in 1973, and since then, women have increasingly become more involved in all levels of military services.
Today’s battles are being fought beyond the traditional “front lines.” Females have been awarded with medals of valor and have embedded with male counterparts to engage the enemy. With the battlefields growing more abstract, new questions have been asked as to what the true impact of allowing women into combat-related job fields may be .
Current combat exclusion policies restrict females in the Marine Corps from serving in the infantry and prohibits them from being assigned to units with the greatest physical risks. Along with infantry, females cannot serve in artillery, tanks or amphibious vehicle job fields.
A recent survey conducted by the Washington post says 7 in 10 Americans support allowing women in combat. What are your thoughts?
Previous Polls:
Do you feel the Marine Corps force restructure will change its dynamic in any way?
Who should rate Basic Allowance for Housing?
Can the Corps’ amphibious mission survive without the EFV?
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First Time, First Firefight – Marine Stays Focused During Combat
August 21st, 2012 // By Cpl. Timothy LenzoIt’s a moment of truth for many Marines – the first time they are in combat and their training is put to the test. When his squad took enemy contact during a recent patrol through [Read more...]
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One Day at a Time: Supporting a Family Member with PTSD
June 27th, 2012 // By Paul Ross, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs and Editor, Navy Medicine MagazineWhen my kid brother left for Iraq he was just that — a kid. He returned home shattered inside. The “dark pit,” as he calls it, was hidden underneath his gruff, infantry-tattooed exterior. [Read more...]
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Through the Eyes of Infantrymen
February 3rd, 2012 // By Cpl. Tommy BellegardePATROL BASE 7171, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Infantry Marines deployed to Afghanistan endure trials that Americans unfamiliar with military life cannot begin to fathom. Inclement weather, insatiable hunger, perpetual fatigue and direct combat with enemy [Read more...]
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Two weeks after the last shot
September 30th, 2010 // By Cpl. Bryan LettAfter many months deployed, it came down to what seemed to be a rushed transition. I was in Afghanistan one day and Washington the next.