No place in the fighting force

Military Review, March-April, 2003

COL Cecil B. Currey, USAR, Retired, Lutz, Flordia--Drop my name from your list of subscribers. The material between pages 54-74 [Military Review, November-December 2002] was just too much for me to take. My favorite magazine has gone politically correct. Women have no place in the fighting forces. They are too weak, unable (and unwilling) to pull their own weight, need special protections and separate facilities, and generally hamstring the ability of men to carry on a firefight. Don't believe me? Then, read [Robert J. Bunker's article, "Martin van Creveld on Men, Women & War, on pages 102-104 in the same issue].

Editor's note: Recent events show &at some young women are just as capable as some young men in protecting themselves and in "carrying the close fight to the enemy. "Military Review salutes all U.S. Servicewomen for their bravely, dedication, and willingness to fight. We especially salute Private First Class (PFC) Jessica Lynch, U.S. Army; PFC Shoshana Johnson, U.S. Arm); and A-10 Thunderbolt ("Warthog") pilot Captain Kim Campbell, U.S. Air Force, for their exceptional bravery under fire, and to PFC Lori Ann Piestewa, 507th Maintenance Company, U.S. Army, who lost her life.

These soldiers are OhO' a few of the women participating in Operation Conquest Iraqi Freedom. "Thumper," a female fighter pilot recently said, "This is a great and rewarding career There are opportunities open to women that they just haven't had in the past. And, I would tell [women considering joining the military], if they have a dream, to go/or it" Ion-line at <www.cnn.com/2003/ WORLD/meast/04/09/sprj.irq.thumper/ index.html>, 10 April 2003.