Rep. Ike Skelton Stalls Recognition for Women in Combat

The role of women in combat is a moot point indeed. We already know that the United States has been engaged in two wars for almost a decade on two fronts and that women have been filling vital roles. Desert Storm taught us that desert combat would be a new kind of battle ground; the kind that didn't have clear cut "front lines" you could safely hide your non-combat arm units behind. Our resources are drawn thin, and even if we wanted to, we couldn't keep women away from the action. Even if they wanted to stay away from it, we couldn't do it. There aren't enough men, end of story.

This means that women also share in the injuries and (on a lesser scale for obvious reasons) the death toll with their brothers-in-arms. They are at times fighting and dying side-by-side. Women are patching up battle wounded in the middle of insurgent attacks, and taking enemy fire or being caught by Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosions just like the other soldiers in their units. Yet there is no recognition in their records despite some receiving combat badges. Their service in this way they can't be used for advancing careers or receiving VA benefits when things go wrong because ... well ya know, women just can't be in combat.

Representative Loretta Sanchez (D-California) offered an amendment that would have provided "commanders the flexibility to assign members of the armed services based on the needs of the unit as long as the soldier is able to meet the required eligibilities and perform the required duties of the unit." This measure would be irrespective of that soldier's gender, which would have allowed for proper recognition of the jobs women are already doing.

But House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Missouri), making sure that he didn't come off as hating gays unequally or anything, slid in a perfecting amendment, ensuring that "the implications" of Rep. Sanchez' amendment on the general public and the war would be studied ad nauseum to make sure we didn't hurt anyone's sensibilities (paging Elaine Donnelly). Shouldn't take that long. I hear it is due by by February of next year! The only ones his study doesn't seem worried about affecting are, ya know, the women it is directly harming by prolonging this decision. No matter that, study or no study, amendment or no amendment, women are already serving in this capacity in practice.

So, ladies, you can fight, die, or possibly live with PTSD that will affect you and all of your loved ones, but we are going to discuss at length how the rest of the world will react to allowing you to be recognized for such things before actually allowing you to be recognized for such things.

Hat tip to Shakesville.

Photo credit: U.S. Army's Photostream