Women in combat

[Berkut]

It is a lot easier to admit women to combat units when you are certain that the odds of them ever seeing any actual combat are pretty slim. It is just an intellectual exercise at that point.

[Neil]

Germany has women in infantry combat units.

Except the German infantry doesn't actually see any combat.  Ever.  Thus, it's a non-issue.

[Neil]

In forty years it won't be an issue because all Soldiers will be wearing exoskeletons.

Wrong.

Right.

Stop crushing my dreams.

You'll be either retired or dead in 40 years anyways.  Still, that's a pipe dream.

[Barrister]

It is a lot easier to admit women to combat units when you are certain that the odds of them ever seeing any actual combat are pretty slim. It is just an intellectual exercise at that point.

Except that in the last 6 years or so Canadian combat units have seen quite a lot of combat.  Indeed the CF has (from my outsider's perspective) rediscovered itself as an actual armed force as a result of Afghanistan.

[Berkut]

It is a lot easier to admit women to combat units when you are certain that the odds of them ever seeing any actual combat are pretty slim. It is just an intellectual exercise at that point.

Except that in the last 6 years or so Canadian combat units have seen quite a lot of combat.  Indeed the CF has (from my outsider's perspective) rediscovered itself as an actual armed force as a result of Afghanistan.

I wasn't talking about Canada.

[PDH]

Germany still gets a plus for using MG42s

[sbr]

How about a little fire, Scarecrow?

[grumbler]

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

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

Thanks.  That is a starting point.  Dunno why Beeb and other found this so hard.

The List(TM) just gives firsts, though.  I am still looking for current numbers, and if standards changed.

I would note that I am not looking for a specific answer.  As I have said, I am convinced that this is a transition issue, and someday threads like the "Fallo of the Berlin Wall" thread will be written about women in combat.

However, all of the "the emperor surely does has clothes" responses don't tell us much.

[Mr.Penguin]

Denmark has women in front line combat units, women who has seen combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan. However despite the best efforts from both politicians and the Army leadership, do females in the Danish Army make up less than 4% of the soldiers. One of the reasons is that physical requirement the same for women as they are for men, this alone has the effect that more than 80% of female recruits leaves the Army before completing basic training...