New York Times Examines Women In Military, Combat Roles

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 18 Aug 2009 - 4:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The New York Times on Monday examined the roles that women in the military increasingly are playing in combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan -- the first wars in which "tens of thousands of American military women have lived, worked and fought with men for prolonged periods." The women stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan "have done more than just muddle the rules meant to keep women out of direct enemy contact," the Times reports, adding that these women have "changed the way the United States military goes to war" and "reshaped life on bases across Iraq and Afghanistan ... without the disruption of discipline and unit cohesion that some feared would unfold." According to the Times, the "issues that arise in having women in combat -- harassment, bias, hardship, even sexual relations" -- are, as some female members of the military said, a "matter of discipline, maturity and professionalism rather than an argument for separating the sexes."

For example, about one in 20 of the 5,600 soldiers stationed at Warhorse, a base in Baghdad, are women. While this is a smaller ratio compared with the military as a whole, the women "are fully integrated in the base's operations." Many of the women serve in jobs traditionally held by women such as food service, administration and supply, and working at the base hospital, the Times reports. Others, though, serve on the brigade staff or in intelligence and psychological operations, which have traditionally been "off limits to women" because they are part of the Special Forces, the Times reports. According to Times, Col. Burt Thompson, the commander at Warhorse, commented that women have "ended the debate over their role by their performance." Thompson said, "I've relieved males from command, I've never relived a female commander in two-and-a-half years as commander."

The military also is integrating female medical needs into life on military bases, including gynecological needs like birth control and ultrasound equipment in base clinics. The Times reports that women who become pregnant, intended or otherwise, are required to be flown out of the combat zone within two weeks, "causing personnel disruptions in individual units," but such a situation "appears to be relatively rare and has had little effect on overall readiness," commanders say.

Opponents of integrating women in combat zones have "long feared that sex would mean the end of American military prowess," according to the Times. However, the availability of birth control "reflect[s] a widely accepted reality that soldiers have sex at outposts across Iraq," the Times reports. Sexual harassment and assault remain issues in the predominantly male military, and both are underreported "because the rigidity of the military chain of command can make accusation uncomfortable and even risky for victims living in close quarters with the men they accuse," the Times reports. However, officers say that the "worst" fears about sexual harassment and pregnancy "have not materialized." Peter Mansoor, a former battalion commander in Iraq who also served as Gen. David Petraeus' executive officer, said, "There was a fear if we integrate units, you will have a bunch of young people with raging hormones, and it will end up in too many unwanted pregnancies, and it's more trouble than it's worth. With good leadership and mentoring, we have been able to keep those problems to a minimum" (Myers/Alvarez, New York Times, 8/17).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

• Additional
• References
• Citations