Marine raid breaks gender barrier (Women Marines on Raiding Party)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=28836

Lance Cpl. Erin Libby doesn’t want to be treated the same as her male Marine Corps counterparts. But she does want to be treated as an equal — even in combat.

In a way, she got her chance last weekend when Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment led a raid into the city of Karmah in search of high-value targets and hidden weapons.

“We’re out here, and we’re rocking on the front line,” said Libby, a 21-year-old from Niceville, Fla., who pinned on the rank of lance corporal during a break in the mission.

In all, 14 women from Combat Logistics Battalion 8 were called away from their usual jobs of supplying ammunition, food, water, fuel and mail for the three-day offensive that kicked off in the pre-dawn hours Saturday about 15 miles northeast of Fallujah.

[Godai Kyoko]

1. We are not seeing a softer more gentle marine corps

The battalion’s Lima and India companies absorbed the women into their ranks, giving them the primary mission to search women and children suspected of hiding anything. But the female Marines’ presence was not intended to show a softer side of the Marine Corps, said Capt. Mark Liston, commander of India Company.

“They’re still a fighting force for us,” he said. “With them, we can grab a wife , for example, put the screws to her, and find out where the husband might be hiding. And while it hasn’t been used here, been known to use female suicide bombers,” Liston said.

The are still making their mark.

[Erika]

2. The Military couldn't function without women

Now they just need to admit it.

[dArKeR]

3. A good advancement for humanity! God bless America! Next we must

train our children to do this too so that they may be prepared for perpetual slaughter until Jesus descends from Heaven and gives the children First Place medals for the number of killed.

[daleo]

4. Gender equality or an indication of low troop strength?

I find myself at best ambivalent about these sorts of breakthroughs for women. I always thought feminism was about bringing peaceful change rather than war and occupation.

[ngGale]

19. Low troop strength - read about this earlier somewhere...

today. They have to use women in combat because of lack of troops.
So, if there is a draft -- women will go to. The military is never going to give a woman a break, unless they have to. The article was about a helicopter pilot, women who was maimed. People were surprised to see a women injured in battle. Evidently, women have been in combat for a long time, but now the word is seeping out.

[5thGenDemocrat]

5. My Aunt Anita retired after 23 years (1962-85) in the USAF

Three tours in Vietnam, two at SAC HQ in Omaha and two more at the Pentagon (she retired when they wanted her to serve a third).
She was one of the first women drill sergeants ever to lead men through basic training. She lost a great love when he was shot down over North Vietnam.
She was one of the finest troops I ever saw (certainly the finest our family ever produced and we've produced a few). And she was basically treated like crap by the USAF for most of her career.
I'm a veteran and I hate war, but I'm still glad military women are maybe finally being treated like equals -- for better or worse. I'm glad Aunt Anita was one of many trailblazers.
John
It is now 45 days, nine hours and 50 minutes to FUNDAY. Maybe, with some luck, Aunt Anita will be here.

[saigon68]

6. we’re rocking on the front line,” said Libby, a 21-year-old

disgusting.

Wait til these defenders of "Freedom" get back to the ZI and become COPS armed with Tazers etc.

[underthedome]

7. Please don't judge all soldiers the same as you just did

Doing so is disgusting.

[saigon68]

8. These people are out of control

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[saigon68]

15. I guess the truth hurts

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[saigon68]

17. what rules

[geek tragedy]

18. These rules:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules_detailed.html

<snip>
Do not post broad-brush smears against US service people. Do not blame the troops for the mistakes of their officers or their Commander-in-Chief. Show the appropriate level of respect to those individuals who have put their own lives on the line to defend this country.<snip>

[saigon68]

20. you should start here

Do not post personal attacks or engage in name-calling against other individual members of this discussion board. Even very mild personal attacks are forbidden.

Do not hurl insults at other individual members of this message board. Do not tell someone, "shut up," "screw you," "fuck off," "in your face," or some other insult.

Do not call another member of this message board a liar, and do not call another member's post a lie. You are, of course, permitted to point out when a post is untrue or factually incorrect.

[geek tragedy]

21. I didn't call you a name--I only condemned your hateful beliefs. eom

[saigon68]

22. Its time for bed adios

[nguoihue]

23. His views are not repugnant to this poster

I agree with him and applaud him for speaking out for others of us who have experienced combat and who are reluctant to make comments about it.

[geek tragedy]

24. Well, gee, my father and grandfather both saw combat and they don't

reflexively hate American troops.

Sorry, but hating American troops and smearing them is a view of a discredited fringe and beneath the good people who post here.

[saigon68]

29. Lynndie England is not my hero

And neither is Sabrina Harrmann

[daleo]

30. My dad saw combat too, in WWII

He would have been more than a little surprised and disgusted by anyone, male or female, who seemed thrilled by the experience. I think he found the experience horrible, although he saw the necessity for it at the time. And this was a "good war", which really wasn't good for those who lived through it.

I think that is what Saigon is getting at with his comments - not disrespect for troops, only for those who find war and its attendant horrors exhilarating rather than a grim duty. There is something unsettling about people actually seeming to like war.

That being said, I also recognize that people can be misquoted in newspapers, who might be using them for propaganda purposes. They can also say things they really don't mean upon further reflection due to the heat of emotion.

[wakeme2008]

27. Suggest you read

From 'Gook' to 'Raghead'
By BOB HERBERT

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/opinion/02herbert.html?pagewanted=print&position=

I am a 69 Army Viet Nam Vet. I only support the troop by calling for their coming home.

It sickens me to hear of an Air Force Officer jumping up and down over dropping a bomb on a restaurant that he was told had Saddam in it but in fact only had families with children.

[Ms. Clio]

31. His views are not repugnant to me

Who died and made you hall monitor?

[5thGenDemocrat]

9. Right

Anita was a personnel specialist most of her career. She pushed a pencil then and raises talking birds now. Not much Rambo about her, actually -- though she can swear better than I can.
She's also a liberal to her bone marrow and has even posted here a few times (as Gracie43 -- it's in the profiles). So be careful about those stereotypes.
John
It is now a few minutes closer to FUNDAY than it was at my last post.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Voltaire99]

11. “We’re in it as much as the grunts, and we love it."

Yet another US soldier, immorally occupying a foreign nation, who brags about "loving" war.

This one just happens to be a woman.

Sickening.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[5thGenDemocrat]

13. So whose blood's on your hands, Saigon?

Judging by your screen name and your Vietnam Service ribbon avatar, I would suspect you're an expert on the subject, yes? Or are you just riffing here?
John
US Army, 1974-76. Never killed anybody. Or even exploited anyone, as far as I know.
And that National Guard (NoGo) thing's last name is "Harmon." If you must engage in self-righteous indignation, at least spell the name right.

[BlueManDude]

25. The debate has been settled.

I guess women in combat is OK now. Especially if they're running out of men.

[rodeodance]

28. there is no such thing as a 'front line" most days in Iraq--yes, the debat

has ended. Women in combat is fine.

[wakeme2008]

26. I hate to say it but the Marines have always been this way

no matter what your 2nd job is in the Marines, your 1st job is gun toter.