Re: [semi OT] Women wargamers -longish

You wrote: 

>It seems a little odd to me that everyone appears to be using 
fictional >proof for their theory on female command ability.  Granted 

Unfortunately female command in real warfare is rather limited.

There was a woman who's name I can't recall who was the wife of a 
Lombard chieftan who was noted for saving his butt in one battle--she 
was commanding one of his wings and pulled his fat out of the fire.  
Unfortunately details aren't readily available, and the tactics of a 
Lombard formation are rather limited.

There were female officers leading Eritrean guerilla formations during 
their 30-year Civil War, however again, to the general public this is 
little known and details are unavailable.

The Soviet Union used women as snipers, pilots, and tank drivers during 
WWII, but I don't recall hearing of them giving one a combat command.

The Israelis had women in their military formations during their War of 
Independance, but again, I don't recall reading about of female senior 
officers.

There's that female MP who led a company assault on a dog kennel, but 
she was A) an MP, and B)Fighting the PDF, so regardless of what she did 
she was going to win--US MPs are very heavily armed and the PDF was not 
that hot a military organization.

>	Joan of Arc was an incredible leader.  Of course being on a 
mission from >God probably did not hurt :).  Off the top of my head I 

I have my doubts about anyone, male or female, who gets tactical advice 
from voices in their head.

>I believe that anyone with the ability to meet the requirements for a 
job >should be able to do that job.  Regardless.  I will stop now.

Of course, even if you opened up combat slots tomorrow, it will be some 
time before any of them are really leading combat formations--it takes 
the USN what, 15 years to groom a sub captain.	And 25 years to make a 
general or admiral.

John M. Atkinson