Manohar Parrikar talks of all-women units, reignites combat role debate

[PARIKRAMA]

Manohar Parrikar talks of all-women units, reignites combat role debate
By Manu Pubby, ET Bureau | Jul 05, 2016, 02.27 AM IST

Parrikar said that if there is resistance on women leading all men units into combat, the idea of an all women battalion could be looked into.


NEW DELHI: Reigniting the debate on the role of women in combat duties, defence minister Manohar Parrikar has mooted the die of raising all women battalions in the army and has indicated that warships could shortly see women officers on board during missions.

In the strongest endorsement yet from the political setup on more involvement of women in the armed forces, Parrikar said that if there is resistance on women leading all men units into combat, the idea of an all women battalion could be looked into.

"In combat roles also there can be women. Why not have a complete women team, battalion of women. So the question of women officers leading a men's team, if there is question of initial resistance to it, can also be taken care of," the minister said at a FICCI event in the capital.

Acknowledging that the idea of women officers leading combat teams is a touchy subject within the armed forces, Parrikar said that despite his instructions, it took nearly four months for the forces to prepare a report on the subject. A meeting with the chiefs of the three armed forces is now expected to take place shortly to take action.

The minister also indicated that women officers could soon serve onboard warships as well but said that deployment on submarines could be an issue due to logistical concerns. "I don't understand why we can't place women on ships. At this stage I will not support a submarine operation be cause (of the way) submarines are designed. But ships can be modified and new ships can be designed to have facilities for women," the minister said.

He added that the idea of allowing girl cadets at the premier National Defence Academy as well as Sainik Schools is also being considered, indicating that these all male bastions could soon change their intake pattern.


Source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...role-debate/articleshow/53052882.cms?from=mdr


+++
This is a good development.

We need them in active combat duties..

@Levina @Abingdonboy @anant_s @nair @MilSpec @GURU DUTT @zebra7 @others

 

[Spectre]

@Freyja @Technogaianist @SvenSvensonov your views - All Women Battalions? Outdated or forward thinking

 

[Stephen Cohen]

We have all woman battalions in BSF

They were posted in Punjab and ALSO in Bengal


http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bsf-women-personnel-gun-down-pakistani-intruder-in-punjab-479396

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150816/jsp/bengal/story_37457.jsp#.V3unmtJ97IU

 

[CorporateAffairs]

Very forward thinking.

 

[Nexus]

i hope he was not serious when he made this claim...

 

[anant_s]

I won't get into Women getting combat roles argument, but here is a small thing from experience elsewhere in life.
It is a common human tendency to first start thinking in a negative direction whenever we intend to change our normal course of action (apparently

is applicable to human thought process as well)

many years back, women were thought to be suitable only for clerical, teaching or desk jobs only, till they were reluctantly allowed in executive rolls. Afterwards they were thought not fit for managerial roles, that too changed.
My whole point is we don't know how things will work out, unless we try it. But the perceived fears/ego/inability to evolve often makes us loose courage to move in an unknown direction.
i'm sure there will be a change someday. maybe a longtime from now, but surely someday.

 

[ito]

If a women is fit to do a front line role, why not give her a chance. At the same time I am against lowering the standards just to allow women into those roles.

 

[migflug]

LIke emily blunt in Edge of tommorow. more power to women

 

[zebra7]

Thanks @PARIKRAMA for tagging me.

But my view for the women in the combat is different.
I fully support an active role of women in any part of the field, but since Armed forces motive and Moto is the security of the country, therefore there should be no compromise in it. Therefore women should be allowed in Indian army if she likes but since IA don't have the Kota system, based on the category, thus no discrimination should be made on the basis of the sex, and no relaxation or the criteria should be made in this respect also.

I am fully confident, that there are womens there, which can compete with the men, and the best ones should serve the country. I believe, that the enemy bullet won't ask he or she before hitting him his or he sex also. I don't want to see tall strong men's in armed force with midget, slim, and feminine Women combatants. However for duty related to the administration, planning, nursing those relaxation should be given but not for the active role in the combats.

In case of Indian Navy, why do you need separate rooms or separate toilets, because then you have to modify your warships, submarine for that, and put an extra burden on them. Make it a common, and treat the sailors as sailors and not female sailors or male sailors.

I am not a medical person, but what ever I know is that female's lungs are smaller than the male therefore less oxygen and therefore less energy/power, similarly, there is high chances of knee fracture, since the density of the bones of the female is less than the male, which is natural, but I believe, a female who is highly athletic and do jogs and swims a lot, gets their lugs gets bigger. Height is not the criteria, because tall females are also there, and the average height should not be made different also.

There are my views, anyone who don't like it feel free to disagree, but my views are clear, and yes stringent.

 

[Stephen Cohen]

Modern long range weapons and long range survellaince tools have made
it easier for women to be inducted in the army

 

[SvenSvensonov]

All Women Battalions? Outdated or forward thinking

I'm going to catch flak for it, but I believe all women units are horribly outdated.

Around the world, from Russian airborne:

To Norwegian:

And American infantry:

Women have shown themselves capable of serving alongside men.

During cadet selection, the genders are typically separated for evaluation:

After selection the genders are integrated into a single unit:

I've heard the rational, all the reasons ranging from the brutality of combat conditions, to medical exceptions and questions on the fitness or endurance of women, and I've seen them all thrown in the trash can where they belong.

Argue if you guys want, you're not convincing me otherwise. I've seen first hand how capable women are when serving alongside men.

 

[Spectre]

I'm going to catch flak for it, but I believe all women units are horribly outdated.

Around the world, from Russian airborne:

To Norwegian:

And American infantry:

Women have shown themselves capable of serving alongside men.

During cadet selection, the genders are typically separated for evaluation:

After selection the genders are integrated into a single unit:

I've heard the rational, all the reasons ranging from the brutality of combat conditions, to medical exceptions and questions on the fitness or endurance of women, and I've seen them all thrown in the trash can where they belong.

Argue if you guys want, you're not convincing me otherwise. I've seen first hand how capable women are when serving alongside men.

 

[spectribution]

Seriously, if we as an army are considering this, total BS.

Even the israelis treat the mixed gender battalions as glorified border guards. The concept of so called "affirmative" action and gender equality can be applied to the IT sector, white collar jobs, corporate field, etc but in the military if people implement this it is pure horse shit.

We can't even equip soldiers with modern body armor and for a woman you need custom fitted armor like this:

http://www.stripes.com/news/form-fi...out-as-combat-roles-expand-for-women-1.397554

Then we have standards to think about. The marines were so worried with the standards dropping by inducting women that they made changes :

http://www.stripes.com/news/marines-spell-out-new-pft-cft-body-composition-rules-1.417556

which led to this

http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2016/07/01/female-marines-qualify-combat-jobs/86553054/

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/284867-marines-reignite-debate-on-women-in-combat

and that is for the US, developed country with a vast budget capable of catering to soldiers better.


To the SJWs and activists, suck it up because even Parrikar says National security cannot be compromised.

And here is the Indian Army's opinion on the matter

http://indianexpress.com/article/ci...n-equal-responsibilities-says-army-commander/

Answer remains NO.

I'm going to catch flak for it, but I believe all women units are horribly outdated.

Around the world, from Russian airborne:

To Norwegian:

And American infantry:

Women have shown themselves capable of serving alongside men.

During cadet selection, the genders are typically separated for evaluation:

After selection the genders are integrated into a single unit:

I've heard the rational, all the reasons ranging from the brutality of combat conditions, to medical exceptions and questions on the fitness or endurance of women, and I've seen them all thrown in the trash can where they belong.

Argue if you guys want, you're not convincing me otherwise. I've seen first hand how capable women are when serving alongside men.

That photo is from the US FET teams in IRAQ.There job was the hearts and minds psyops. Russian ariborne don't use women in combat ops. Only support role in training and stuff.

 

[ranjeet]

modi government bending over backwards to please feminazis.
Another example

https://twitter.com/x/status/750294135576207360

 

[spectribution]

modi government bending over backwards to please feminazis.
Another example

https://twitter.com/x/status/750294135576207360

Not exactly appeasement, more of guilt - tripping the DM into doing something stupid. Atleast he gave air defence patrol to the IAF lady pilots. We can avoid another Capt. Saurabh Kalia.