Well thank you, Jezebel, for finding a woman with actual military experience to comment on the issue. Nothing drives me more crazy than people with no experience in the military speculating (often inaccurately) about military service. Ms. Anderson speaks eloquently here, and her words ring true.
Although I'm sure she'd point out to the headline writer that there is no such thing as an ex-Marine, there are only former Marines.
You're both right and wrong. There's lots of jobs in the military that don't require the strength to carry a wounded comrade. Unfortunately, combat arms jobs aren't part of that. And women already fulfill most of the jobs that do meet those qualifications.
A modern firefight is very different from the image we have of the World War II days. There are no more cries for "medic", while the medic travels from an on-site ambulance to help the wounded soldier and carry him off the field. Dragging a comrade out of danger usually falls to the closest person standing by.
Where the argument goes off the rails is that there are plenty of diminutive men in the military as well, who are unable to carry their 6'3", 280 lb comrades.
What's disturbing to me is that sexual assault reports have gone up 64% in the past five years, during the exact time frame as the DoD's ramped up sexual assault prevention program. I'd love some studies into why that is. Domestic violence and child abuse reports are up similar numbers. Is it just that the sexual assualt prevention program has now made victims more likely to report the incidents? Or do we think that acts of violence have gone up that much? I'm not buying PTSD as a likely reason - in 2006 servicemembers were far more likely to have gone on deployments with more intense fighting, and longer deployment times. As bad as Kandahar was in 2011, it most likely didn't compare to Haditha in 2005 for most of the people in both places. It was definitely not so much worse to account for such a rise in violence if PTSD were the cause.
So is it lowered standards, waivers that let in people who were more likely to be violent? Is it a cultural change in garrison, with garrison military trying to go back to the pre-9/11 days, while still maintaining the stress of the deployment? It can't be totally a lack of support personnel - staffings of mental health professionals and family counseling resources is generally much, much higher than in 2006. So what the heck is going on?
Love that Chuck scene. Back when I loved Chuck. Probably my favorite scene in the entire series (at least, up to where I stopped watching in early season four). #observationdeck
It does discount hers. Any denial of combat pay to female soldiers is blatantly illegal. Any denial of personal protective equipment to female soldiers is illegal. Any officer who attempted to implement measures like that towards the women under his command would be thrown into prison. The promotion points system takes deployment time into account through an automated computer program. As long as you have your deployment months on paper, it counts for promotion. There is no distinction between what job you served in or where you served. Either you misheard, misremembered, or she was lying.
I will say that in 2003, when SGT Williams served, many soldiers did not have the most modern equipment upon the invasion of Iraq. But that was not limited to female soldiers, by any means. I will also note that SGT Williams was awarded the Combat Action Badge during that deployment, or so she claimed in her memoir. I fail to see how the Army did not acknowledge her for her combat service, or fail to award her appropriately. The Combat Action Badge would also have earned her additional promotion points, and those points would not have been taken away simply because she was female.
No matter what the truth is of how you came to write your comment, the fact is that your comment is just plain wrong. You are spreading lies about how the military treats women. I am an American woman, proud of my service in the Armed Forces. There are many valid, legitimate reasons to criticize how the Department of Defense treats the women under its command. The reasons you listed are none of them. Please educate yourself on the subject further before spreading more "facts" that have no actual bearing on truth.
What are you talking about? You're completely off base. Women do receive combat pay, same as any other soldier. Their deployment time counts the same towards promotion. We all receive the same body armor.
I've deployed twice to Afghanistan. You're completely misinformed. I didn't catch the interview with SGT Williams, but I read her book, which was an awful, spiteful vendetta towards particular individuals she didn't care for. I have no doubt in my mind of her capability to twist the truth in order to get what fifteen minutes of fame she can grasp.
Belting improperly is the most common form of vocal nodes, that I'm aware of. Smoking does no good for your throat, to be sure, but belting too high is the most common cause for messing up your voice, as far as I am aware. I had some vocal training in my teens and early twenties, though that's years away now. I'm not a professional, but I can tell you the advice that countless professionals gave me - avoid belting, above all other things, at all costs.
Have a drink? Just for tonight, to help you to fall asleep? I mean, if you're doing it every night, no, that's not healthy. But once in a while, to help you get a much-needed sleep in order to face the work week? Well, I'd be a hypocrite if I said I never did it. #observationdeck
YES. I saw countless peers in high school get the "better" roles in musical theater, yet not be able to sing a note five years down the road, due to the mainstream acceptance of improper technique. There needs to be widestream acceptance of the fact that belting these notes is not healthy, that it leads to a loss of voice later on. I thought the Julie Andrews vocal nodes saga was leading towards acceptance of this fact, but apparently not. People, especially high school-age drama coaches, constantly push towards this improper, horribly damaging technique. If Adele would come out against it, my respect for her would increase four-fold. Someone needs to. I've watched too many friends lose too much potential.
*backs away slowly...* #crosstalk
Adele wins every award. Fact. Check the comment history. It has been preordained.
Aw. I actually like Bruno Mars.
Wait, does this mean I'm not old yet? Yay? #crosstalk
Again, Adele wins all the awards. Fact.
Sorry, Nikki. The phrase "Roman Holiday" is still associated in my mind with Audrey Hepburn. And you, ma'am, ms, or miss, whichever you prefer, are no Audrey Hepburn.
*Hug*
Try something that isn't related to cooking or housekeeping?
Read a chapter of a book. Be proud that you've read more of that book that you've been meaning to read for months. #observationdeck
Well. Adele was the first performer of the night that actually made me put down my laptop and watch for the entire song. Brava.
Ah, I wish I could promote you for that. Welcome to real life, Tay-tay. The new shine has worn off. You'll actually have to fight for Grammy's, now! No one told you that a blond country pop singer with crossover appeal would eventually have to resort to that, did they?
Um. Yes? Just like Budweiser and Pepsi always present the Super Bowl?
