Problem Identification Issues With Integration - 1694 Words

Problem Identification: Issues with Integration The Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in January of 2013, the rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule (DGCDAR). The DGCDAR prohibited women from being assigned to jobs and specialties directly related to combat below the brigade level, in clandestine and special operations forces, and in roles that were intensely physically demanding. This now transcends to the availability of previously closed specialties, including Marine Corps infantry, to women who can meet a gender neutral standard of performance. 230,000 jobs that were previously exclusively for men in the U.S. military, have now been cleared for†¦show more content†¦Because ultimately, it is not training we are concerned with, it is the day that women actually become active and assume roles within combat-centric specialty areas. It is at this location where the primary concern resides; the overarching potential of how this will holistically affect a combat unit’s mission readiness and adaptability. In debate, the anatomical difference between men and women is undisputable, but for some reason receives the least amount of attention. However, it sheds important light on what should be considered a vital factor, due to the intense physical nature and relentless demands of combat communities. In Springer and Ross’s (2011) comprehensive Musculoskeletal Injuries in Military Women, an in-depth analysis of the susceptibility of women to injuries is extremely alarming. The astronomical difference in reported pelvic stress fractures in male and female recruits is 1 per 367 females, compared to 1 per 40,000 males (Springer, Ross, 2011). ACL ruptures in competitive athlete females range from 2.4 to 9.7 times higher (Springer, Ross, 2011). Trainees who are medically retired after or during boot camp hover at 12.7% for females, compared to only 5.2% for males (Springer, Ross, 2011). These findings are only the foundation for the argument that women may be ill-prepared to join th e ranks of those fighting on the front lines. Following the