This summer, two women made history by becoming the first female soldiers to graduate from army ranger school, which consists of likely the most rigorous training course in the world. According to the U.S. army webpage, the course spans "61 days" and is "divided into three phases: 'benning,' 'mountain,' and 'florida.'" These phases are designed to challenge the soldiers, assessing physical and mental abilities and preparing them for various terrains. Half of the soldiers are said to drop out in just the first phase. To graduate, each soldier must prove their ability to lead to not only those who run the course, but also to the other soldiers, "as the final hurdle to moving forward is the peer evaluation." So, yes, it seems like a pretty prestigious accomplishment.
Now, what is odd about all of this is that out of the 364 soldiers who began ranger school, only 94 soldiers were able to earn a position in the 75th Ranger Regiment, not including 1st Lt. Shaye Haver or Capt. Kristen Griest. Haver and Griest completed the course and graduated, but because they are women, have been excluded from 75th Ranger Regiment. Haver and Griest are the first female soldiers to graduate from army ranger school, but they are not the first female army rangers. They won't even be given the regiment's signature tan beret.
Is this a petty move for such a noble military regiment? I think so.
The main argument against female admittance into the elite forces of the military is that a woman may not be safe among her fellow soldiers. It was only a few years ago that Fox News commentator Liz Trotta mocked feminists for "wanting to be warriors and victims at the same time." She blamed servicewomen for expecting anything other than to be raped during their time in the military and complained that protecting female soldiers — or any soldiers, for that matter — from rape and other illegal activities costs too much money.
Obviously, Trotta had no idea what she was talking about. Sure, the U.S. spends a ton of money on rape prevention, but it hardly compares to the amount we spend on military funding in general. And when did caring for our soldiers become a bad thing?
Recently, there have been significant efforts to improve how rape is dealt with within the military. According to Military Times, the "fiscal 2015 defense policy law," finalized major changes to military court procedures. Those in higher positions within the military will no longer be able to veto the conviction of an assailant without explanation. And once convicted, these so-called soldiers will not be able to keep their jobs, as has formerly been the case.
Just imagine, a U.S. military that excludes rapists and not women!
