My Mother Was an Army Ranger
August 19, 2015
DON VINCENZO writes:
The feminist world and its enablers are positively ecstatic about the news that two females, both U.S. Military Academy (West Point) graduates, are soon to receive the Ranger Tab on their uniforms. The Washington Post (First women to graduate from Army’s Ranger School, by Dan Lamothe, August 18), in predictable fashion, referred to this as, “…a major breakthrough for women in the armed services at a time when each of the military branches is required to examine how to integrate women into jobs – such as infantrymen – in which they have never been allowed to serve.”
Not to be outdone, Army Secretary, John McHugh, was flowing with praise for the two, and included this in his congratulatory message: “This course has proven that every soldier, regardless of gender, can achieve his or her potential.” Really? A look at the historical evidence and current policies might throw that statement into question.
When women entered West Point, the training of cadets, which had hitherto included running in combat boots, was dropped. (On a personal note: when I did my army basic training in 1959, every recruit had to run in those boots.) Why drop that practice? It simply was that too many women could not finish their assigned runs in army boots. Hence, the policy was changed.
How many recall the tragic story of the first Navy pilot, Lt. Karen Hultgreen? As a result of the Tailhook brouhaha, the Navy succumbed to political pressure and sought to bring women into the service as pilots, and in Hultgreen’s case, as a pilot who lands on aircraft carriers. Hultgreen, “who could bench press 200 pounds,” was given the green light to fly, and in attempting to land on a carrier, crashed into the sea and was killed. It was only later that one of her instructors admitted that the Navy had pressured him into giving her grades that allowed her to continue.
Another reason for my lack of faith in the Army Secretary’s press release is that none other than our feckless Commander-in-Chief will attend the ceremonies, a rather unusual appearance for this president. It is my firm belief that those in charge at Fort Bragg were “encouraged” to make sure that there would be a reason for President Obama to attend.
But with this revolutionary step forward, the Army is now facing a problem of another nature. Again, from The Washington Post: “…women who deploy overseas may continue to face obstacles in another area that can have a critical impact on their military experience: contraception…Rates of unintended pregnancy among women in the military are 50% higher than those of women in the general population. And because of federal rules, their insurance does not generally cover abortion.”
Welcome to the New World Order.
— Comments —-
Laura writes:
There are informal allegations of “command interference” in the success of the women in the Ranger course.
For readers who want to know more about the Rangers, John Reed provides details.
