United States Secretary Of Defense - 1767 Words

In January of 2013, then United States Secretary of Defense (SecDef) Leon Panetta under the auspicious of the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, lifted the ban excluding women from combat-related jobs. The policy, part of the Women Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, barred women from combat-related occupations within the U.S. military for more than 60 years. Opinions varied with liberal-minded individuals and feminist praising the administration s progressivist ideas concerning gender inequalities between men and women; other s lauded the move as nothing more than a social experiment that could potentially weaken the military s warfighting capabilities. Two years later, incumbent SecDef Ashton Carter expanded the rule set by†¦show more content†¦So it is natural to assume that they are deserving of the same opportunities afforded to men, but there are inherent differences that go beyond the concept of race, especially within the realm of Special Operations. Specia l forces soldiers are the pinnacle of the military s fighting force. Women should have every opportunity to apply for combat-related jobs in the conventional military, but special forces should be the exception to the rule. The integration of women into the elite special forces should not be allowed because of the possible effects on unit cohesion, morale, and the overall readiness of the special forces community. The special forces soldier is the pinnacle of the military s fighting force. Women should have every opportunity to apply for combat-related jobs in the conventional military, but special forces should be the exception to the rule. The integration of women into the elite special forces should not be allowed because of the possible effects on unit cohesion, morale, and overall readiness of the special forces community. The role of Special Operators would be considered the antithesis of a conventional army, or a large force of military members assigned to complete a task on the battlefield. Special forces units operate in groups or platoons that rarely exceed 12 to 16 men. Depending on mission requirements, the team is then