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Dawn of new era for US military

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    Will allowing women in combat make military's job more difficult?

  • Duration 5:44
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-- the -- of a new era for the US military today as the Pentagon decides to allow women.

In combat roles for the first time ever read -- at the front lines.

But what might seem like a simple step forward for equality has touched off a huge debate.

He -- -- is the CEO of concern veterans for America he is here to explain -- welcome back to just.

You've done tours of duty how many have you done and what and what role that you serve remind us with.

Three want come avail and if you two -- Iraq I was and if you platoon leader in Afghanistan as a counterinsurgency instructor at all in the infantry and your thoughts about this are what.

Our it made it is going to make what the guys on the ground.

The squads the platoons the companies in the infantry battalions -- it's gonna make their job more difficult and again it's not.

But the mental capacity -- that there are the psychological capacity of females are so many women who serve.

With valor and with honor this is not about that this is about.

The job of the infantry the job of our war fighters to close with and destroy the enemy to win wars to fight or how does this moved.

Advance that ball down the field and in the thinking in making this happen.

How many squad leaders were consulted in.

Look at them and I sat in the room how how is it problematic explain specifically -- -- problems sure.

First of all you've got it.

Physical differentiation between male men and women who just is what it is now explaining like this while you -- you got -- that -- that I like it.

But doesn't IQs you know -- I just got there heavy weapon I get -- Based they seem to be saying if -- they can reach an accommodation or an agreement where.

The women don't get in the less they can -- the same physical standards that the men do I mean if if they get they -- no exception -- the women have to be just a strong justice bass or.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- so you know how these things usually work when integration happens right it doesn't happen fast enough -- you do you start to over the bar.

Or you start to input impose quotas we gotta have one or two women -- -- per company per battalion.

Or we got to lower the standards just a little bit on this particular aspect that -- -- so if they can do the job that's a whole another question but it also gets into dynamic so that's the first part the second part is the dynamics within a platoon.

Within a squad.

Men in the dirt day after day night after night high stress environment.

It's another variable visible to leader or squad leader you don't have to deal with and Matt's feelings toward Mary.

And and how that develops in the field you know decorum breaks down.

Eight get -- environment -- you know in the -- fighting an enemy passions and that's another comp.

I let us having enemies not mean there what does that mean there is now that -- that we and -- -- had gays serving in the military for sometime -- is -- Don't Ask Don't Tell -- now that's been reversed but you know.

Matt they've been having feelings for Mike for a long time well in the -- and end the military's been known okay.

So -- if you introduce women in there and you know you didn't -- men start to have romantic feelings -- Their female you know.

But you made that or vice Versa how does that change anything.

That may well be the case but there -- a lot well and lot more maps that have feelings for Mary and that I think is a more likely scenario where where -- where those feelings.

Are are amplified or complicate a situation that needs to be singularly focused toward accomplishing the mission I tonight.

That must have been you you guys you guys are trained you're professionals you're not monkeys.

You may have -- feeling kind of that you could -- feeling.

But -- did you -- like when you're out in the field you've been out -- thirty days without showering your your you go to the bathroom in front of right in front of the guy next year -- big canary look so yeah that moment.

Moment Mary I don't look so good but you also -- -- So that's easy to say from this air conditioned studio right here in the New York Times editorial boards -- a -- this -- it's equality how it actually gets implemented becomes a difficult or not bad about the stupid what -- Panetta drop this on the desk.

Today on his way out and I I don't think that says a lot about about him.

Or about how to get implemented his leave it to them to figure out and I I -- -- know how this how this came about how many.

First line leaders in combat roles were consulted about the efficacy of this.

I know the jury does he recommended that the joint -- is -- recommended the -- but that's not necessarily seeing the start of the guys that are -- route they're now but I do I get it yesterday I've been erupting you just to make a point.

-- -- side here.

What's -- like -- how would the dynamic change me.

Maybe this is just something that they'll experience because it's just now starting in and thirty years from now that'll be under control it'll be just be like -- -- women are going to be out here.

Well -- meg and as we saw yesterday -- hearing a lot about -- air force base the military has a not so secret problem in some ways with sexual assaults on the things that have happened with women in the military this is.

An open secret.

That has not been figured out so before we go about addressing that at figuring that out why are we opening up something that we don't know.

Rule will be in order them and -- you know the answer well to keep women back from advancing in the military moving at a position they want.

Because some bad apples are sexually assaulting them.

Sure but you also shouldn't be doing them just because under some moniker.

Of equality because equality is against -- against -- the military is not equality it is the ability to fight and win wars and I question.

The reason this is being advanced like many.

Things this administration -- questions -- -- -- about it -- fighters homage gestures on the military now because now we do have Don't Ask Don't Tell god.

Women going into these combat roles sequester and maybe possibly you know major defense cuts a mean.

Yeah how much pressure can we put on the military to perform under very changing circumstances.

If there are a lot of open questions a lot of uncertainty in the new insert Chuck Hagel solution seems to be okay with sequestration and howling out I think there's -- -- A lot of uncertainty in military today and and we're gonna need bold leaders -- through the ranks who we're gonna set a straight course and and focus on fighting and winning wars is what were compelled to do.

Thank you for indulging me as somebody who everybody in uniform thanks -- we didn't -- -- -- -- I appreciate it.

No problem our best thanks for your service.

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