I still can't believe someone I know is making history like this. So insanely proud of her.
Army school? Dude, these girls just graduated from Ranger School. Watch the documentary on what happens at ranger school called Surviving the Cut. It's.. insane. (and they're West Point graduates!!!)
I think there are a few vets around here but I seem to be more vocal about it so I'll chip in with my opinion. I used to work as an Afghan linguist which means I went to school with all branches out at DLI in California. I met some amazing people, not least of all was a young Marine named Lauren. Lauren wanted to learn Pashto so she could go out and work on the Lioness Teams. She would have killed someone if they needed killing, but that's not what she wanted to do. She wanted to help the women in a war torn shit hole have a slightly better life. I met a lot of people during my time that were there to 'serve their country' or 'nuke 'em to the stone age' or whatever, and it takes all kinds, but Lauren was one of the few who I respected because she was there to do a different version of good in the world. She did end up getting to be on the Lioness team because she worked her ass off, but the Marines almost cancelled the program before she could get in it because women were getting killed and they weren't supposed to be in combat operations. The whole program was a loophole in the first place. The Lionesses were 'temporary attachments' to a unit. It didn't matter that they were literally giving access to intelligence that otherwise might have gone missed, directly improving the lives of the women in Afghanistan, as well as saving American lives while they were at it. It mattered that they had vaginas. The Marines did cancel the program pending investigations which never happened, and Lauren left the Marines. I guarantee that there will be problems in integrating females into combat operations. There were problems just bringing them to the desert in the first place because men and women like to have relationships and sex, and that can sometimes blow up in unpredictable ways. Those problems will be so insignificant in the face of the drastic improvements made by integrating women into combat that you will never hear about them, just like you don't now unless it's gossip at the burn pit. Good for her, but better for all of us.
She's a friend of yours? That's pretty bad ass. My hats off to anyone that can accomplish such rigorous training, that's awesome. How has it been received? Has she had to deal with a ton of sexism? My hope would be that once her peers see that she's the "real deal," they'd pull for her like they would any other peer.
Yeah, her brother is one of my best friends. I'm not sure how she's taking the news, no one has talked to her yet. When I talked to her brother he said he found out on facebook. Her immediate peers aren't that sexist because she's in better shape then most of them. She's a distance runner and top of her class, so it's really hard to talk smack to a girl who beats you on physical tests. She's the type to make things sound easy, so she might be downplaying what she deals with. When she told me she was doing this she left out most of the changing the world part and just said she was going for ranger training. She made it sound like anyone would do it, no biggie. Honestly I'm handling the sexism worse then her right now. I found a post about her on r/theredpill (a very sexist subreddit) and for the first time in my life was very tempted to doxx someone and go full black hat. I'm a little horrified at the Internet she is coming back to and I'm not handling it well. How do you protect the people you love from the internet?
Her brother must be proud!I found a post about her on r/theredpill (a very sexist subreddit) and for the first time in my life was very tempted to doxx someone and go full black hat
-Don't. Walk away and don't search out the nasty stuff but try to embrace the positive. I bet there are a lot of people rooting for her. Find those people. There will always be angry, sad and hateful people out there. Sometimes you can't avoid them, but don't go looking for them.
Yeah I would be a total hypocrite if I did. I don't go after people online, but it's the first time I've had to deal with that temptation. Personal attacks are one thing, but going after someone I care about is a whole nother story. I don't mean to sound negative, in general the responses are great. My mom called me freaking out and reminded me she remembers when they let the first woman into west point. Now <my friend> has come so much further. I keep teasing her about signing a GI Jane poster for me, it's crazy she's basically that in real life. And the stories she has are actually better then the movie. Once she's announced I can share more, in the meantime can't wait for graduation.
If anyone's around they are doing a live interview with their (unit? plantoon? squad?) class right now - http://news.yahoo.com/two-us-soldiers-become-symbols-generation-female-fighters-144956647.html
They announced their names today looks like. I can finally stop being paranoid about saying Kristen.
Hey I posted what I thought was a great article about them and the process about this six days ago. So glad to hear that they both made it. It is tough to just get accepted and of those only about 40% graduate. "Twenty women qualified for the Ranger School class that began in April, joining 380 men. Ninety-five men already have graduated, including 37 who completed each of the three phases on the first try. More than half of all the students from the April class — 257 men and 17 women — already have been dropped." I have never known a Ranger but grew up with a guy that was in the Canadian Special Forces and he was a smart, tough MFer. Is she super bad ass IRL? Super athletic? Super accomplished? Any idea if she is going to try to join the Rangers or serve in another area?
She's a distance runner so she's always been athletic. She's a total badass but kinda just acts like that's how everyone is, her whole family is like that. Exceptional but totally unaware. She can't join the Rangers but she wants to. Imagine what it's like for her, watching lesser qualified men go up and be promoted while she is left behind. Her friends are other smart, talented people, so she seems frustrated they get to move on while she doesn't. In general she seems more determined to change it then upset about it though.
The way I read the article I cited, joining the Rangers is an option but most (man or woman) join other branches but still get to wear the patch and get the adulation that goes along with that. She will always be known as a superstar no matter what she chooses to do. I know what you are talking about (re: that's how everyone is). I am the only sibling that has not been a pro athlete or in the Olympics. lol And probably about 30% of my childhood friends ended up playing pro. Not me. In hindsight I was a good athlete but not in comparison to those around me so I thought I sucked.
You are right. I reread the article and it says that current policy is no women in the Rangers force but they are rethinking that policy. I did not realize that many Rangers qualified soldiers never actually join the Rangers.