Essay 5—Draft

Women in Combat

The article “If Men Are Drafted, Women Should Be Too,” written by Cathy Young, addresses issues about women being drafted. Currently, only men can be drafted to fight in combat. The draft system is America’s back-up to a volunteer military. Drafting women into combat and Placing them on the frontlines would not allow the United States military to out-maneuver an opponent. Being able to have a high-maneuverablity, is how conflicts are won. Women should not be drafted, because they will not be able to physically sustain many of the required tasks, given to male soldiers during combat.

First of all, equipment given to male soldiers during combat is very heavy, and most women will not be able to sustain the task of carring heavy loads. Equipment like a rucksack, which can weigh one-hundred pounds or more, is strapped to the backs of soldiers. During combat a soldier may be required to haul a rucksack more than thirty miles at a time. Not only are rucksacks heavy, but body armor, and weapons can make a male soldier’s equipment weigh as much as two-hundred and fifty pounds. Most women, are not physically built to carry excessive weights, but men have strength that comes naturally. A man’s speed and strengths are required on the battlefield. Women, cannot move as fast as a man, carring alot of equipment. Speed and the ability to out-maneuver an opponent is what men are used for in combat. Even women like, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeanne Holm states, “Even the weight of the equipment soldiers in ground combat must carry poses a problem for women.” Not only, is the physical weight of the equipment hard for women, but also, being able to fight a man is a problem for most women, physically.

Second of all, most women do poses the strength physically, to fight a man in hand to hand combat. When a hundred and thirty pound women fights a two-hundred pound man, in almost all cases, the women will lose to the man’s strength. A woman on the frontlines, will be required to fight a hand to hand conflict. Women such as retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeanne Holm, “remain skeptical abaout putting women into physical combat—primarily because it requires levels of physical prowess most women don’t have.” There are some women who can beat a man at hand to hand combat, but they are, few and far between. Even in today’s gender friendly society, women should not be allowed to register and be drafted into the military. The jobs women hold currently in the military, allow women to fly jets and command from a distance because they can plan and organize with great effect. Putting women on the frontlines of battle would slow down the United States military. The United States has recognized women’s abilities and have used them to the militarys advantage. Women contribute greatly to any cause the military is involved, but women neeed to stay out of the front lines because they are not physically capable of fighting men equally.