My Rant on Women in the Military

This morning I was watching Fox and Friends. They were talking about a woman who has been out of the military for four years and has been recently recalled to duty. This woman is a married mother of two. From the pictures I would guess that her children are any where from 3 to 6 years old. I could be way off the mark with the ages but it doesn't really matter. I am probably going to anger a few people here with my opinions. This story really disturbed me!

This woman joined the military of her own free will, signed the contract knowing all that it entailed, and now that she is a mother has issues with the details. Before I go any farther in my rant I am going to tell a little about myself...

I am a mother and a wife! I had my daughter at 19 yrs old. I was a single mother, never married her dad, which in my way of thinking now was probably the best thing I could have done for my daughter. My biological father was in the Army, my Dad (my first stepfather) served in the Vietnam war, my second stepfather was in the National Guard, I grew up near two Army bases (Hunter Army Airforce Base and Ft. Stewart), I married a man who served in the Army, and to top all of this off I almost joined myself. I was a single mom when I was looking at joining a branch of the military. I was well informed at the time that if I joined that I had to have a family plan in tact. If I were to ever be called into action or had to leave for any length of time I had to have someone that would step in and take care of my child. I knew before I even started looking into the military that it wasn't for me for several reasons but the biggest was I was a single mom and my daughter came first. That being said let me get back to my rant.

Women for as long as I can remember have been screaming about equal rights, I agree we need equal rights...we are just as smart as men if not smarter. Women wanted equal rights in the military as well. They want to be allowed in combat, carry a gun, etc. However women have a different set of standards that they have to meet when in the military because we are women and we are not as strong nor as fast as a man. Women have children, men father them. So when it comes to active duty or being activated to go overseas what ever you want to call it, why does it seem there is a different standard for women.

If there are children involved in a military family, a family readiness plan has to be in effect. This is basically saying that if you are a mother or father you must have someone willing and capable fo taking care of your child(ren) in the event that you are called to war or shipped overseas. A married couple would assume that the parent not in the military would become the caregiver and if that parent will need help then there would be someone else called in to help out (ie grandparents).

This mother is receiving a discharge from her active duty status because she brought her two kids in tow. She complained that her husband travels for work and is unable to take care of the kids if she has to leave and that if her husband could loose his job if he doesn't travel. I get it and I understand it. She is the parent that takes care of the kids, but there are two parents here. Why does it seem that she is getting special treatment here? If it were reveresed and the man was the parent that cared for the kids while the wife was the main money earner and work called her away, the man would still be expected to do his duty. I applaud this woman for her service and the duty she has performed to her country but I have a real issue with this latest occurance. No one expects to get called up after they have finished their active duty portion of the contract, but everyone that signs that paper knows that there is always a possibility that they can be called back for up to certain amount of years. I believe it varies depending on what kind of contract and how many active years you serve. I don't agree with the decision that has been made to allow this woman a discharge because they did not take the precaution needed during the time she was still able to be called back to active duty.

Something that was not mentioned is what kind of discharge this woman received, they only stated that there would be no legal actions taken against the woman.

I remember watching a movie, Courage Under Fire, with Meg Ryan and Denzel Washington. Meg Ryan played the part of a woman in the Army. She was single mother, she was sent to a war zone, I believe she was a helicopter pilot. She dies... DW is investigating the circumstances of her death. I don't know whether or not this is a true story, probably isn't... but this movie is to the point. She was a single mother who had to have a family plan in case she was ever sent to war.

This only touches base on my thoughts on women in the military. I loved the movie GI Jane and when it came out I thought holy crap can I be her. But ultimately I think there should be some rights when it comes to the military that women should not have and others that women should have.

I feel like this makes no sense at all...