Women to attend Marines' infantry school

[Pruitt]

Blake,

It is not half her weight. Try half a full grown Male's weight! That is at least 75 pounds and up!

pruitt

[Jay217]

Originally Posted by Pruitt

Blake,

It is not half her weight. Try half a full grown Male's weight! That is at least 75 pounds and up!

pruitt

Mine is usually packed between 40-60 pounds. For the Yearly Fitness Tests it must weigh 50lbs, excluding water so most of the time Canadian Soldiers won't get up to the 75 pound mark unless your doing a more specific role, infantry and engineers will probably carry more than an armoured or Support.

[Pruitt]

I see now you are referring to fitness tests. Is this in full combat gear as well? A steel helmet ought to get pretty heavy. I would have been tempted to leave the gas mask back in the barracks. Back in the bod old days (70's) we were expected to do route marches and distance runs in our boots. I bet they allow running shoes these days!

Pruitt

[Jay217]

Originally Posted by Pruitt

I see now you are referring to fitness tests. Is this in full combat gear as well? A steel helmet ought to get pretty heavy. I would have been tempted to leave the gas mask back in the barracks. Back in the bod old days (70's) we were expected to do route marches and distance runs in our boots. I bet they allow running shoes these days!

Pruitt

I haven't done our Fitness test yet but we have started prep for it. It will either just be in our Combats+Rucksack, or in FFO- which would be our helmet tac-vest, gasmask carrier, the ruck and maybe a weapon.

That hasn't changed yet, we still run with our boots, however they are alot more comfy than what you probably had to endure, also we have sock system where we have a nylon sock under our wool. Makes it so your feet don't turn to hamburger AS quickly.

[KRJ]

Jay217 and other Canadians,

Are there still women infantry officers in Canadian Forces?

If so, how's it working out? Did any see active service in Afghanistan? Do you think standards were lowered?

[Captain General]

Originally Posted by andrewza

so you mean if there is tank it should either be all male crew or all female crew?

I agree with Golani on this.

[Jay217]

Originally Posted by KRJ

Jay217 and other Canadians,

Are there still women infantry officers in Canadian Forces?

If so, how's it working out? Did any see active service in Afghanistan? Do you think standards were lowered?

I can not say for certainty as I am still quite Green and I'm With Support/Armoured not Infantry. But i do believe i have heard of several female casualties in Afgahnistan, specifically Captain Nichola Goddard.

However on a somewhat related note i remember i was helping at a Retirement Home and started talking to a woman, she turned out to be part of the 1st group of women who worked within the Canadian Airforce and her daughter was in position to become one of the 1st Female to Captain a Ship in Canada (If Canada had enough ships...)

So in Short They are still serving, and its more than adequate, they see service - some have been killed outside the wire. The Standards of Admittance IS lowered on paper however in practice they are (rightly) treated equally - biggest change is they get their own bathrooms within the wire.

[Golani]

Originally Posted by Jay217

Mine is usually packed between 40-60 pounds.

What? 40 pounds it just about the basic combat loadout (web gear/vest, helmet, 8 magazines, main weapon, 2 grenades, 3L water min. and other basic essentials) and that's excluding armor.

I think the lightest I ever went into 24 hours combat situation is around 65 pounds, often I was pushing closer to 90, I'm not even talking about when I carried the SAW, than I'd easily exceed 50% body weight.

[andrewza]

I am so glad I am not infantry type I only had to carry a combat (for got the weight ) for 1 week.

[TacCovert4]

Originally Posted by Golani

What? 40 pounds it just about the basic combat loadout (web gear/vest, helmet, 8 magazines, main weapon, 2 grenades, 3L water min. and other basic essentials) and that's excluding armor.

I think the lightest I ever went into 24 hours combat situation is around 65 pounds, often I was pushing closer to 90, I'm not even talking about when I carried the SAW, than I'd easily exceed 50% body weight.

I agree. The last combat kit I wore in the sandbox weighed in at 85 pounds, with water. That didn't count anything else in the daypack, only 210 rounds of ammo, and doesn't count uniform or rifle, just armor and what was attached to it. Adding in the other 180 rounds on my thigh rig, rifle, and assorted gear in the daypack you're looking at closer to 100 pounds. Well, distributed, but 100 pounds. A Female could get off with a little lighter because their helmet, vest, and plates are smaller, but not that much lighter. And I have seen with my own eyes a female Marine do a wonderful cockroach impression after throwing on her daypack while geared-up.

Show me a female that can, while wearing full kit, throw a 160lb soldier (which is the lighter side of average), also wearing full kit (making him closer to 250 pounds plus) on her back and carry them to safety, and I'll say that she's got potential in combat arms.

[andrewza]

Originally Posted by TacCovert4

I agree. The last combat kit I wore in the sandbox weighed in at 85 pounds, with water. That didn't count anything else in the daypack, only 210 rounds of ammo, and doesn't count uniform or rifle, just armor and what was attached to it. Adding in the other 180 rounds on my thigh rig, rifle, and assorted gear in the daypack you're looking at closer to 100 pounds. Well, distributed, but 100 pounds. A Female could get off with a little lighter because their helmet, vest, and plates are smaller, but not that much lighter. And I have seen with my own eyes a female Marine do a wonderful cockroach impression after throwing on her daypack while geared-up.

Show me a female that can, while wearing full kit, throw a 160lb soldier (which is the lighter side of average), also wearing full kit (making him closer to 250 pounds plus) on her back and carry them to safety, and I'll say that she's got potential in combat arms.

I know of a few most are not what you would call girls though, more men who can fall pregnant. There was all so one female during my basics who had it all. Good looks, Smart and fit. She wanted to become a PTI but the navy saw here has a combat officer.

[Golani]

Originally Posted by andrewza

I know of a few most are not what you would call girls though, more men who can fall pregnant. There was all so one female during my basics who had it all. Good looks, Smart and fit. She wanted to become a PTI but the navy saw here has a combat officer.

After she's done what TC described a few times, she is more likely to never be able to become pregnant.

Probably the 2nd most common injury for female combat soldiers in the IDF (after stress fracture) is uterus prolapse, the mere reading of what it is online is enough to discourage me and I'm a man!

[lcm1]

Originally Posted by Pruitt

andrewza,

You are aware that the Israeli Army uses women to teach tank positions? I am sure these instructors can put on a show at the Front.

Pruitt

It appears to me that this debate is now slowly wending it's way back into that old chestnut about women doing other jobs including infantry, when the original query was women as commando's, was it not? lcm1.............. My apologies no it was not,it was Marine infantry.My mistake must have been due to the fact that in the RM it is the same as training for the commando's. lcm1

[Pruitt]

Well maybe most of us will agree that as long as they do not compromise on standards, women can go. I don't care if they are hermaphrodites (not sure whose shower these would use!).

Pruitt

[DARKPLACE]

Originally Posted by TacCovert4

I agree. The last combat kit I wore in the sandbox weighed in at 85 pounds, with water. That didn't count anything else in the daypack, only 210 rounds of ammo, and doesn't count uniform or rifle, just armor and what was attached to it. Adding in the other 180 rounds on my thigh rig, rifle, and assorted gear in the daypack you're looking at closer to 100 pounds. Well, distributed, but 100 pounds. A Female could get off with a little lighter because their helmet, vest, and plates are smaller, but not that much lighter. And I have seen with my own eyes a female Marine do a wonderful cockroach impression after throwing on her daypack while geared-up.

Show me a female that can, while wearing full kit, throw a 160lb soldier (which is the lighter side of average), also wearing full kit (making him closer to 250 pounds plus) on her back and carry them to safety, and I'll say that she's got potential in combat arms.

Well they don't have to carry them. They could just treat them were they land.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ary-Cross.html