Women soldiers flunk UK unisex training, banned from frontline duty

[Hakki Alacakaptan]

Does this need to be a sexual equality issue - as separate from the
militarism issue? I mean, for all we know women might be physically better
suited than men to fly jets or choppers (I know for a fact they're better at
chopper-flying). But millenia of living off mens' scraps and suffering the
ravages of multiple childbirth  have left them physically at a disadvantage.
Until a medical quick fix is found, there's no sense snapping bones and
tendons or trying to pretend you can legislate the problem away.

Hakki

http://news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/uk/newsid_1901000/1901721.stm
BBC News Online: { UK }
------------------------------------
Saturday, 30 March, 2002, 02:26 GMT

Women soldiers 'face frontline ban'

Female soldiers will not be allowed to fight in the frontline after a study
found they were not physically capable, it has been reported.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon will make the announcement in the next
fortnight, according to the Independent newspaper.

Many ministers and activists want women soldiers to be eligible for
frontline duty, with others believing the current ban breaches the Human
Rights Act.

But a Ministry of Defence report, entitled Combat Effectiveness Gender
Study, has found fewer than 2% of female soldiers are as fit as the average
male soldier, the newspaper says.

The study also suggests women are up to eight times more likely to be
injured.

The MoD is already facing a number of compensation claims from women who
were injured during "unisex" basic training, introduced four years ago.

The paper says Mr Hoon's decision would mean women could keep serving in
units in wartime as long as they did not risk close combat.

This will bar them from special forces, commando units and armoured
regiments.

The Independent says the report was based on an "exhaustive" series of
tests.

Soldiers under 30 had to carry 20kg of equipment and their rifle while
running a mile and a half in 15 minutes, as well as carrying a colleague for
50 yards.

Not one of the female soldiers were able to complete this task, the
newspaper reports.