Writing Activity 4: Final Draft
Lakisha B. Cunningham
Strayer University
Prof. Danny Meadows
ENG 213
December 15, 2018
It's already hard enough being a woman, but could you imagine being a woman and fighting in combat? Well, that’s the harsh reality that many deployed military women face today. Whether they enlisted into a combat military occupational specialty or not; the lines have been blurred on whether a woman’s military occupational specialty actually dictates if they will face combat. So why is the military painting a false reality for military servicewoman and future women recruits? Women should not be allowed to serve in combat zones or combat military occupational specialties because of physical performance disadvantages, increased risk of medical issues, and current cultural sexism issues that hinder them from a successful integration.
Let’s face the facts, women are naturally born with less muscle mass than men, which puts women at a distinct physical disadvantage in combat. The average adult male produces ten times more testosterone than the average adult female. Not only does having higher testosterone levels double a man’s muscle mass, but it also allows a man to have a higher work capacity than a woman. Therefore, women have a lower overall work capacity and will exert themselves more than men to achieve the same output. (Pulley,1) This may not sound like a big deal to some, but imagine constantly physically exerting yourself and you still never stood a chance in competing or even measuring up to someone physically, because of something you had no control over.
On average, a woman possesses only 55% to 58% of the upper body strength of a man. The lower weight, fat-free mass and higher body fat percentage of women, is associated with lower muscle strength and endurance. (Epstein,2) Carrying heavy weights and marching with a heavy load are common tasks that all military service members are required to do. So how is it possible to assess the athletic ability of women in combat military occupational specialties, on the same scale that we assess men’s athletic ability? Aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels are lower in women than in men, leaving women at an increased risk for injury. Although it is quite common for military men and women to suffer from an injury at some point in their military career, women tend to suffer from far more injuries than men. (Epstein,2) While in a combat zone, the number of injuries increases even more for men and women. Should military men and women really be held to the same physical standards, if they are not physically created equal?
Women are more prone to health and gynecological infections in combat and field operations and still continue to suffer from the effects of these health issues once they return home and sometimes after they no longer serve in the military. In an online article, females in combat have increased issues with their menstrual cycle, the lack of feminine hygiene products, unsanitary port-a-johns and burn latrines (if they have access to some form of a restroom). (Ritchie,3) From my experience in a combat area, these issues are held to be true. In some cases, we would go weeks without being able to shower. Depending on if there was a water shortage or shortage of water purification supplies, many military men and women reverted to using the water from the Euphrates and Tigris River in Iraq to cleanse with. The rivers were later quarantined by our unit’s Surgeon General, who deemed the water contaminated and unsafe for any use.
Studies have also shown that women would not hydrate enough, so they wouldn’t have to relieve themselves as often; which caused many military servicewomen to develop urinary tract infections and have other gynecological issues in combat. (Ritchie,3) Women were also more likely to fear and be embarrassed by lack of confidentiality and not seek medical treatment for their feminine issues. A Los Angeles Times article stated that extreme physical activity, irregular meals, inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, sleep deprivation and stress are common recurring issues in a combat environment. These issues can trigger "conservation mode" in women, which results in a decrease in female hormones, cessation of menstruation, and osteoporosis with a heightened risk of stress factors. (Pulley,1)
Women are at an extremely higher risk of being sexually assaulted in combat or on a deployment. This lowers the morale, unit readiness, and the comradely of the unit. Sexual assault can also cause severe life-long physical and mental trauma on military female service members. (Social Science & Medicine,4) Women prisoners' of war are more likely to be treated worse by captives. In many societies and cultures across the world, men don’t agree or respect women who portray, in what they would consider being “a man's job or role in society.”
In 2016, the military opened all previously male-only combat military occupational specialties to women. Although I believe men and women should have equal rights, I also believe that when factual information with proven scientific research is introduced, additional guidance and certain stipulations should be added for the best interest and safety of everyone. For example, everyone has the right to consume alcohol, if they are over the age of 21. Which explains that just because it is a right for everyone, it doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be any additional guidance and statutes of limitations added to that right. Scientific studies have shown the brain is not completely mature before the age of 25, which correlates to the high number of young adults and minors drinking irresponsibly and making bad judgment calls. This is similar to women having the right to serve in combat because scientific studies have shown us that women are not physically capable of exerting themselves at the same levels as men. These studies should be taken into consideration, to implement additional statutes of limitations on a woman’s right to serve in combat. Placing age restrictions on consuming alcohol is no different than placing gender restrictions on who can serve in combat, both are indeed for the safety of everyone.
The physical, medical, and cultural barriers that exist, leave no room for women in combat. The realization of the matter should outweigh its expectation. We can’t change the human anatomy and we can’t change our society’s culture overnight. Do you not realize that we are knowingly endangering our military women, despite knowing their vulnerabilities and disadvantages? I will not undervalue that women have helped to shape and enrich the military throughout the years. I believe there are actual effective and safe ways that military women can serve and contribute to our country, without being exploited in combat.
Feedback Reflection
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References
1. Julie Pulley. 2017. What Military Recruiters aren’t telling Women: You’ll face Disproportionate Health Risks. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-pulley-scott-are-recruiters-misleading-women-20170725-story.html
2. Yoram Epstein. 2013. Physiological Employment Standards IV: Integration of Women in Combat Units Physiological and Medical Considerations. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23238928/
3. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie. 2001. Issues for Military Women in Deployment: An Overview, Military Medicine, Volume 166, Issue 12. p. 1033-1037. https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/166/12/1033/4819325
4. Social Science & Medicine. 2012. Women at war: Understanding how Women Veterans cope with Combat and Military Sexual Trauma. Volume 74. Issue 4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953611006952?via%3Dihub
5. Tom Bowman. 2015. Marine Corps Release Results of Study on Women in Combat Units. https://www.npr.org/2015/09/10/439246978/marine-corps-release-results-of-study-on-women-in-combat-units
6. Andrew Swick. 2018. The (Mostly) Good News on Women in Combat. https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/an-update-on-the-status-of-women-in-combat