Re: [semi OT] Women wargamers -longish

At 12:44 11/09/98 -0700, you wrote:
>2. Most of the problems a rising from females in the military have to
do
>more with us men, and the double fitness standard imposed by the Army.
>
>3. That being said, we're not ready yet for full integration in combat
>arms. If it screws up small unit cohesion then I'm against it. And like

	I have to agree with Los here. In my short time in the navy
(R.A.N.) I was
at the Australian Defence Force Academy. ADFA is our main officer
training
school and takes in all three services and all the internal units are
mixed
sex. I've seen some of these units (including my own) fall to pieces
when
two members of the unit start sleeping together. I seen women who refuse
to
take orders from some senior cadets, and even jack up with some of the
NCOs, because they feel that they are being singled out. I've seen
senior
male cadets refuse harrass junior female cadets out of the service
because
they think its not a womans place. I seen senior female cadets be twice
as
hard on their commands to the point of destroying all co-operation
because
they feel they have be twice as good as the men. Further there has
always
been an atmosphere of sexual harassment and intimidation in some of the
units at ADFA. I don't think it was as bad when I was there (10 years
ago)
as it appears to be now, but getting through is tough enough without the
fear of being raped, whcih has happened.
	Having said all that there were probably only three senior
cadets that I
had enough respect for to follow to hell and back without question or
hesitation. One of those was a woman. She was tougher than most of the
guys, but then she had to be as she was originally the only female in
her
unit, but never acted as if she had anything to prove. 
	If women are to take a place in combat roles, especailly combat
command,
there needs to be a radical change in military culture that must start
during basic training. You must change the idea that women are
inherently
weaker and useless apart from sex. The banter is part of it but more as
a
symptom for what is underneath than a problem in itself (I know some of
the
female cadets could give as good if not better than they got when it
came
to sexually innuendo). You have to get the grunts (sailors, airmen
whatever) thinking from day one that the women are just other members of
the team who will depend on them, and who can be depended upon.

	Tony.
	twilko@ozemail.com.au