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It's That time of the Month: That Females Are Finally Permitted to Fight in Combat Zones

BY Rachel Belle  on January 24, 2013 @ 6:17 pm (Updated: 6:20 pm - 1/24/13 )

A big announcement this morning from Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta regarding women serving in the military.

"I believe that we must open up service opportunities for women as fully as possible. Therefore, today General Dempsey and I are pleased to announce that we are eliminating the direct ground combat exclusion rule for women. We are moving forward with a plan to eliminate all unnecessary gender based barriers to service."

Panetta said they started chipping away at the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule early in 2012, and opened up 14,000 jobs to women, that they weren't allowed to have before.

This morning, on the Luke Burbank Show, Luke opened up the phones to talk to soldiers about how they think the military will be affected by having women in combat. At the start of the show, they played this sound bite from an anonymous woman.

"Women should not be on the frontlines. What are they going to do if they have cramps or other female concerns?"

Ummmm, really? Obviously it's a ridiculous thing to say, but you'd be surprised how many people have this opinion. To respond to that ridiculous question, a caller named Julie from Lake Stevens, who was serving during Operation Dessert Storm.

"You can be in a certain degree of discomfort, or even extreme pain, but if the circumstances are such that you're under a lot of stress, you all of a sudden don't notice that pain so much. It becomes a non issue. So every time I hear that woman say that, I just start howling with laughter."

Julie talks about what her fellow soldier, a man, told her in regards to why some men don't want to be in combat with women.

"Our male friend, that we were very close to, finally said, 'You know what, you guys don't get it. It's not about you. It's about us. The fact that you emasculate us. Every time you outrun me, every time you do more pushups than I do. The fact that you can actually carry more weight than a lot of the guys.' It's difficult for them to accept that."

She says not all men are up for the job of being on the front line.

"There are plenty of men who are not qualified to be in combat. They just couldn't handle it. I've witnessed it myself, personally. Funniest part of all is it came from a guy who actually said, 'I don't want women to be in combat because I need someone standing beside me who wouldn't mind taking a bullet for me.' He was the one who had the meltdown! The smallest female in our crew ended up dragging him from harms way. He outweighed her by, minimum, a hundred pounds. He was the one who couldn't handle it emotionally."

She says there is one good reason for all men to be happy that women are included.

"When I was in the Persian Gulf, I mean, we're in the Persian Gulf! We were not given combat pay aboard ship. Why? Because there were women aboard our ship and women can't be on combat ship. All the guys on our ship were just mad as hell about it. 'How can we not be getting combat pay when we're in a combat zone?' Well, there are women aboard your ship so, officially, you're not in a combat zone."

Eric, from University Place, is an active duty soldier who just returned from Afghanistan. He responded to Luke's prodding that women are going to distract men from doing their jobs in a war zone.

"People were trying to kill us all! I'm not looking at, oh, this chick right here, she's really hot so I'm thinking about trying to do something else. When I've got how many people trying to kill me? This is my number one focus right now. I'll worry about everything else when we get back home."

Fifteen percent of soldiers in the US military are women.

Rachel Belle, Ron and Don Show Reporter
Rachel Belle is a feature contributor and personality on The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7pm), and host of Ring My Belle Weekends (Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm).
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Comments (10)


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  • AKAF wrote...
    Finally...equal rights!
    January 25, 2013 11:18 pm
    It's finally time for women to sign up for the selective service! How old are you Rachel?
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  • mpvet8306 wrote...
    The real issue
    January 26, 2013 6:11 am
    The real issue that has been decided is that women can now hold combat arms occupational specialties ie..infantry, armor, artillery. Our senior military leaders have been exclusively from these branches and now women can join the club. What some people don't realize is that women have been in combat for the last 11 years even going back to Operation Just Cause. Just ask any MP.
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  • the old philosopher wrote...
    Rights & Responsibilities
    January 26, 2013 8:28 am
    If I understand this right, Women should have the choice of serving in any capacity but, apparently will not have the responsibility of registering for selective service. Does that also mean that if and when the draft is reinstated they will also have the choice, unlike male inductees, of selecting whether or not to serve in front line combat units or will it be 50:50? I knew a number of young troopers years ago who would have much rather had a choice, unfortunately too many of them never made it home. Seems as if we are once again bailing out without checking to be sure it is a chute nand not a backpack. Maj/MSgt Retired
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  • Whidbeyboy wrote...
    Agreed
    January 26, 2013 6:47 pm
    I just don;t see it happening the way some gung ho woman think it will. They may get away with a skirmish at a basecamp or driving to an outpost, but let's put 70 pounds in a ruck and move 20 miles, then dig in. Then do the same the next day. Some may do it, but they won't last or be able to keep up. If they could they would be in the NFL too by now. Iraq and Afganistan may not be a easy war, but compared to Vietnam and especially WW2 it isn;t even close. They lost more in a few days then they have in this the longest war. I heard a woman state that is was a great experince. I don;t think I ever hear that from a WW2 vet, as proud to have served as they were. Maybe we will get the chance to see though if North Korea makes a move, but trust me we do not want that. They will NOT surrender to CNN, I promise.
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  • AKAF wrote...
    I agree, however, Sec. of Defense disagrees....
    January 26, 2013 11:56 pm
    It seems that Rachel is in full agreement with this issue...only question, when is she registering for Selective Service? Equal rights for all!
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  • hedujg26 wrote...
    Whidbeyboy, what are you thinking?
    January 27, 2013 11:17 am
    You equate the ability toplay in the NFL as a litmus test to what a woman can do? Are you crazy? The amount of players in the NFL as to the amount of U.S. Citizens has to be 1 to 200,000. That comparison shows that the odds of the average person being able to play in the NFL are on odds of being hit by lightening. And the NFL is fully of genetic freaks who take illegal drugs to compete. You have made the one worst arguement against women in combat. I work with WWII vets all the time, getting to speak for groups. They don't glory in war, but they say the experience shaped their lives, making them better people. Also, the military isn't lowering their standards and requirements for combat duty. Women will still have to qualify, like men, on a the same level playing field. Too many men are so stuck in what they see as work related acceptance as what will be going on in the military, its ridiculous. This is combat, not grab a55 at work.
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  • DesertRez wrote...
    WhidbeyBoy
    January 28, 2013 6:04 am
    Full combat gear is more like 90lbs nowadays, so they need to be able to pass physical fitness readiness just like men. I met at least one marine female who could do it (she was buying Copenhagen at the PX), but not many!
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