General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAre Woman allowed to fight in Combat in wars?
Just asking, there is a group of repugs who want to past a law that says if you haven't fought in combat, you
cant run for president? It got me thinking are they passing this, so a woman cant become president?
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,372 posts)Or does it take an amendment to the Constitution?
Obviously, they're passing it so Jeb Bush can't become president, but John Kerry can.
No, wait ...
brettdale
(12,384 posts)So Woman arent allowed to fight in combat?
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,372 posts)eg: Fighter pilot. Don't know about combat engineers.
However, in a conflict with no real "front", women can and do find themselves in ground combat situations. In those cases, they are certainly expected to fight, and they do. All are trained to use weapons and tactics in basic training.
geardaddy
(24,931 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,372 posts)well, maybe, to some extent.
It didn't seem to make some presidents less effective. eg TR, JFK, DDE.
geardaddy
(24,931 posts)That was just a bad reaction I had to a stupid idea for a law.
I don't think DDE had any real combat experience though.
lpbk2713
(42,769 posts)Or some members of the clergy.
niyad
(113,600 posts)I wonder if they realize how many repukes have never been in the military, let alone in combat.
and where, in the constitution,is there a combat requirement? pretty sure I don't remember one from my readings of that supposedly preeminent document.
sarge43
(28,946 posts)Reagan, Eisenhower and Nixon wouldn't have been eligible. If the definition is expanded to service in a combat zone, then a great many women would be.
I suspect the nut jobs kiting this never fired a M-16 let alone a M-1.
niyad
(113,600 posts)Military service
After completing fourteen home-study Army Extension Courses, Reagan enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve[28] on April 29, 1937, as a private assigned to Troop B, 322nd Cavalry at Des Moines, Iowa.[29] He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the Cavalry on May 25, 1937.[30]
Reagan was ordered to active duty for the first time on April 18, 1942. Due to his nearsightedness, he was classified for limited service only, which excluded him from serving overseas.[31] His first assignment was at the San Francisco Port of Embarkation at Fort Mason, California, as a liaison officer of the Port and Transportation Office.[32] Upon the approval of the Army Air Force (AAF), he applied for a transfer from the Cavalry to the AAF on May 15, 1942, and was assigned to AAF Public Relations and subsequently to the First Motion Picture Unit (officially, the "18th AAF Base Unit" in Culver City, California.[32] On January 14, 1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and was sent to the Provisional Task Force Show Unit of This Is The Army at Burbank, California.[32] He returned to the First Motion Picture Unit after completing this duty and was promoted to Captain on July 22, 1943.[29]
In January 1944, Captain Reagan was ordered to temporary duty in New York City to participate in the opening of the sixth War Loan Drive. He was re-assigned to the First Motion Picture Unit on November 14, 1944, where he remained until the end of World War II.[29] He was recommended for promotion to Major on February 2, 1945, but this recommendation was disapproved on July 17 of that year.[33] He returned to Fort MacArthur, California, where he was separated from active duty on December 9, 1945.[33] By the end of the war, his units had produced some 400 training films for the AAF.[29]
Reagan never left the United States during the war, though he kept a film reel, obtained while in the service, depicting the liberation of Auschwitz, as he believed that someday doubts would arise as to whether the Holocaust had occurred.[34] It has been alleged that he was overheard telling Israeli foreign minister Yitzhak Shamir in 1983 that he had filmed that footage himself and helped liberate Auschwitz,[34][35] though this purported conversation was disputed by Secretary of State George Shultz.[36
. . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan
sarge43
(28,946 posts)demmiblue
(36,899 posts)allowed or not. Sheesh.
Besides, that is just silly to think that a president needs to be part of combat or have a military background in order to be an effective leader.
Combat poverty and the growing disparity between the wealthy and the poor, I say!
morningfog
(18,115 posts)morningfog
(18,115 posts)Absolutely stupid, not even worth consideration.
lacrew
(283 posts)brettdale
(12,384 posts)He now has his own blog along with facebook etc etc, him his followers want to start up
a petition for this, which is quite funny since his supporters are also trying to get him on
the ballot (and he hasnt fought in combat despite wanting to)
Hes headed to the gop convention, he is this elections, Joe the Plumber.
Iggo
(47,574 posts)Great parent. Great American.
lacrew
(283 posts)One lunatic trying to morph his moment of shame into a D list celebrity rating isn't really worth worrying about.
MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)They fight on the ground in support units, as sentries on supply missions and as fighter and bomber pilots. Women do combat duty, just not front line infantry duty.
brettdale
(12,384 posts)Nice to get an answer to my original question.
sammytko
(2,480 posts)How about giving peace a chance??
hughee99
(16,113 posts)Are we going to have to start a war just so we can have presidential candidates?
We haven't had a president who has fought in combat in 20 years. Imagine telling a repuke who says this "So you're saying that the reason Raygun was a shitty president was because he never served in combat?" and watching their head spin.
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)Not one of those chickenhawks even served let alone was in combat.