Women in combat

[viper37]

Also, if the females are unprofessional and choose one of her fellow soldiers as boyfriend, jealousy eat the rest of the boys, to the point of anarchy.

That's a simple thing to correct, just forbid it.  If two become involved, one of them has to change unit or both are fired.

[Ed Anger]

Periods would give the squad's position away.

Then use exclamation points.

[Barrister]

A lovely table on percentages of what jobs in the CF here:

http://www.nato.int/ims/2006/win/pdf/canada_national_report_2006.pdf

Scroll down to the bottom for your numbers. Women represent 1.4% of combat arms troops in the CF.

So I gues the answer to my question is "nobody knows." 

I suppose it wouldn't be obvious to someone who is unfamiliar with the subject, but "combat arms" is a much broader category than "combat infantryman" (aka "grunts") and includes radiomen and even clerks in combat units, as well as artillery gunners, tanks drivers, etc.  Knowing the percentage of combat arms made up of women rtells us nothing about the number of female combat infantrymen.

The problem I have is that we do know that all roles are open to women, and that ~2% of "combat arms" are women in the CF.  It seems extremely speculative to suggest that there may be no women infantrymen. 

[grumbler]

The problem I have is that we do know that all roles are open to women, and that ~2% of "combat arms" are women in the CF.  It seems extremely speculative to suggest that there may be no women infantrymen. 

It also seems extremely speculative to suggest that there may be some women infantrymen. The only non-speculative answer in the absence of evidence is "I don't know."

[Berkut]

If 2% of the combat arms in Canadas military are women, can't they just send an email to all 10 of them and ask them if any are infantryman?

[dps]

Also, if the females are unprofessional and choose one of her fellow soldiers as boyfriend, jealousy eat the rest of the boys, to the point of anarchy.

That's a simple thing to correct, just forbid it.  If two become involved, one of them has to change unit or both are fired.

That would lead to an extraodinary number of transfers, I'd guess.  The only way to really limit the problem would be to summarily execute both parties.  And that wouldn't eliminate the problem, just limit it by preventing repeat offenders.

[Neil]

If 2% of the combat arms in Canadas military are women, can't they just send an email to all 10 of them and ask them if any are infantryman?

And Berkut continues his campaign of disrespect towards the Canadian military.

[MadImmortalMan]

Not having read the thread---Has anyone posted Starship Troopers pics yet?

[Berkut]

Combat arms != infantry.

[The Minsky Moment]

It is an immutable fact that women have 50% less muscles than men, it's genetic and fixed at birth.  Don't confuse the strength of muscles with the amount of muscles, two different things.

Which muscles are they missing?

[Barrister]

Combat arms != infantry.

Infantry is a subgroup of combat arms however.

You seem to be speculating that despite all branches of military service being desegregated for over 20 years (except subs), and despite ~2% of combat arms soldiers being women, that it is at all conceivable that not a single woman has even been in the infantry.  That seems so unlikely to me that if it were true it surely would have been noted somewhere.

[alfred russel]

Which muscles are they missing?

I can confirm the vocal chord muscles are at full strength.

[Berkut]

Combat arms != infantry.

Infantry is a subgroup of combat arms however.

You seem to be speculating that despite all branches of military service being desegregated for over 20 years (except subs), and despite ~2% of combat arms soldiers being women, that it is at all conceivable that not a single woman has even been in the infantry.  That seems so unlikely to me that if it were true it surely would have been noted somewhere.

I am not speculating anything.

[Admiral Yi]

I went back through The List (tm) and found this:

1989
Private Heather R. Erxleben becomes Canada's first female Regular Force infantry soldier.

[PDH]

Erxleben sucked as a punter and dedicated kick-off kicker.
(let's see who gets THAT reference)