I can remember 15 years ago when there was real, serious debate about women in the military–particularly in combat units. But we were assured that women would not be put in harm’s way, kept in support roles far away from danger. So the frog in the pot kept quiet while the water slowly warmed. Fast-forward to 2005. 240 female soldiers had been injured in Iraq and 33 killed–a “record number,” according to the U.S. Military. So there was a flurry of inquiries and news reports lamenting this trend. Five years later, a total of 111 women have been killed in combat, but it appears the frog has boiled to death in that pot, as this story barely makes single-column, back page news–a mere blip on the radar screen:
Most Americans, and even members of the media, are not aware that 111 brave servicewomen have died in the War on Terrorism. With few exceptions, news stories about their tragic deaths usually appear only in the military press, or in small hometown newspaper stories and television accounts that rarely capture national attention….. Heartbroken family members have expressed indescribable grief and great pride in their daughters, which is universally shared by a grateful nation. It is always when soldiers die, but losses of women in this war are unprecedented in modern history. Continue reading “Co-ed Submarines: Where’s the Debate?”