During the last Republican debate, the candidates were asked whether women should be included in the draft. The moderators pointed this question specifically at the Republican candidates with daughters, all of whom said yes, women should be required to sign up for the selective service. Some believe this response was because of political pressures or fears of being considered sexist.
In 2013, the ban on women in combat roles was lifted, but the question of them being able to serve as gunners, infantry and in the Special Forces remains undetermined for the foreseeable future.
I guess you can figure out what I’m going to say next. I do not believe women should have to sign up for the selective service. Taking that a step further, I do not believe women should be allowed in combat roles. Maybe if the military could guarantee that women drafted through the selective service would not have to serve in combat roles, or simply not require women to sign up, I would be fine with it. Instead, they could make it a personal decision.
Before people start calling me rude names, let me explain. It is not that I believe women are not capable of serving. If a woman can pass the basic physical requirements, then they have every right to serve in the United States’ armed forces. It is not a matter of “can,” but a matter of “should.” Some people have said it is only fair that women should have to sign up for the selective service, but fair does not equal right.
What about military studies? What do they suggest? Certain individuals believe the integration of women into combat roles has progressed smoothly, but a look at the numbers suggest otherwise.
According to the Center for Military Readiness, women were twice as likely as men to be injured during combat training at a rate of 113 percent. These statistics were turned over by the Army’s Medical Command and the Army Institute of Public Health. The Center for Military Readiness then released these numbers.
In another study done by the United States Marine Corps, they found all-male groups outperformed the mixed units in 93 out of 134 tasks. The study found all-male groups were able to move to a target faster and hit targets more frequently. The study was observed by National Public Radio.
We could also approach this issue from another angle.
How would you feel turning on the news and seeing bodies of dead women in uniform?
What if your sister or cousin or mother were captured by a hostile group?
Just think about the unspeakable horrors suffered by our men in combat, would you want the same for our women?
What about cases of rape within the ranks, let alone sexual assault as a captive?
These are all important questions to ask yourself when thinking about the issue of women in combat.
Dalton Capps is a senior history major from Coldwater, Mississippi.
