Journal 9

          I think it is a great idea to integrate women into the military, especially considering all of the progressive thought floating around about equal treatment across the work force.  To be honest, I didn't even know that woman weren't integrated into combat.  While this integration, in my opinion, is long overdue, implementing it is a different matter.  I think we touched on a lot of important points in class, and that in order to successfully integrate by 2016, the military will have to participate in progressive thought and avoid the political confusion that often accompanies these type of movements.
          In order to properly implement anything, it is important to recognize the obstacles to completing such a task.  One of the obvious difficulties for integrating woman into the military is that woman are different from men...period.  First, woman and men are physically different and not all are equal.  I believe the standards for testing physical strength should be unisex, but genuine in making sure soldiers are prepared for the field.  Another issue regarding the difference between woman and men is their housing and bathing facilities.  Men and women have different needs when it comes to their bodies, and it is important to recognize this and handle it properly.  Aside from logistical issues, there are also a lot of issues holding over from an era when woman weren't equals in the workforce.  Despite what anyone says, pay and respect will have to be addressed early on to eliminate them quickly.  A final issue that I think should not be overlooked is what parents of female soldiers and society in general thinks about it.  Unlike the other obstacles, this cannot be fought head on and must be borne until it recedes.  Overall, I think it is a great idea and that if the military takes note of the things mentioned above, it will be handled well and be successful.