Women in Combat

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Compare/Contrast Essay Women in Combat On January 24, 2013, Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff lifted the ban on military women serving in direct combat. The recommendation for this decision has been in place since 1994. Congress needs to be in reality of the debate in regards to women in combat on the front lines in harm’s way. Having women in the infantry jeopardizes the mission as a whole group. The argument is not whether women can succeed physically, emotionally and efficiently but whether women want their role to change and be on the front lines. To effectively work through these differences and coming to realistic expectations without risking the effectiveness of the U.S. military in battle conditions will be challenging to Congress and Government officials. Shouldn’t our government oppose this decision because it’s wrong for women to fight, because men are to protect woman. The unique risk this decision places on women in combat due to very drastic physical differences, risks of being tortured and captured, and treatment and unity of women in units. The physical differences between men and women are significant. The average women is about 5 inches shorter than their male counterparts. The average women has 37 percent less muscle mass than a man. Women have half the upper body strength compared to the strength of a man. Men can urinate standing up and women cannot. This difference warrants having different facilities so that women can use the bathroom. Having women in combat will obligate the need for additional medical resources such as Ob-gyn facilities, doctors and psychologists. Placing women in combat positions places them in a unique position that exposes them to additional and more severe risk than their male counterparts. Women are at a greater risk physically of being raped,

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