Women allowed to join the Special Forces

Seems perfectly fair to me, as long as they don't go changing the entry criteria.
 
About time. I'm certain that there will be some excellent female special forces in time. Just don't expect the numbers to be 50:50.
 
Deluxe1 said:
If the failure rate is high compared to men then they may well start changing the entry criteria.
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which is exactly what they will look to do (as it's already been discussed) should the numbers not be what they want them to be.

His comments follow reports that the SAS is considering making its gruelling selection exercises easier for women, who could be allowed to carry lighter loads and given more time for treks to give them a better chance of passing one of the toughest tests in the world.
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Which IMHO is wrong.
 
ttaskmaster said:
Of course he doesn't - Allowing women means he will no longer have the best hair in the unit!


Why not?
The Russians have had girlies in Spetsnaz for yonks. At one stage you knew a Soviet girl was SF, simply because she was on the Russian Team at the Olympics!!
Kurshish and Israeli forces seem to be doing especially well with female front-liners too, I believe. Others also, though I haven't really followed them close enough to comment.
Girls certainly make pretty good combat pilots, though.

Best of luck to 'em, I say.
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Who said it was anything about women actually being in it, I meant the social media arguments and people from both sides shouting each other down.
 
It's nothing to do with the special forces, I appreciate, but after reading the responses in here I'm interested to know your opinions. How do people feel about the fitness test standards being less for females in the more regular forces? In the RAF, for example - which doesn't have particularly high fitness standards as it is - the standard required for females is significantly lower than it is for males.
 
there are already women serving in special forces units

likewise the serving on the front line stuff seems rather silly and rather late given that there have been women from various capbadges going on patrols in Iraq and Afghanistan for years.... there isn't a "front line" in that context anyway

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Zefan said:
It's nothing to do with the special forces, I appreciate, but after reading the responses in here I'm interested to know your opinions. How do people feel about the fitness test standards being less for females in the more regular forces? In the RAF, for example - which doesn't have particularly high fitness standards as it is - the standard required for females is significantly lower than it is for males.
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I'm rather out of date but IIRC there was a distinction between fitness tests and fitness assessments (at least in the Army)

a BPFA: "basic personal fitness assessment" for example was relative and varied according to gender and age - so it allowed say older or female candidates to get a "green" score with fewer push ups/sit ups and/or slower run time

a CFT: "combat fitness test" however varied according to capbadge - with three different weight categories depending on your job/role - no allowances for age or gender
 
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Zefan said:
It's nothing to do with the special forces, I appreciate, but after reading the responses in here I'm interested to know your opinions. How do people feel about the fitness test standards being less for females in the more regular forces? In the RAF, for example - which doesn't have particularly high fitness standards as it is - the standard required for females is significantly lower than it is for males.
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Depends if the fitness standards for women are adequate for the job. If so, then the male fitness standard should be brought down to the minimum adequate amount. It would be a shame to lose out on some special talents just because their physical fitness is lower than an arbitrary standard set by the organisation, yet still adequate to perform the tasks required of them.
 
My ex missus would have been perfect for this. Her tuna bake could bring a whole battalion to its knees.

Seriously though, there are some very capable women about. If they want a crack at it then good luck to them.
 
I’ve nothing against women joining special forces and serving on the front lines as long they meet the full requirements and not some reduced criteria to make up the numbers.
 
I do struggle a bit with the idea of female front line troops. But my kinds of reservations probably shouldn't outweigh the want of a women to do it.

Ant Middleton is ex SBS
 
Zefan said:
It's nothing to do with the special forces, I appreciate, but after reading the responses in here I'm interested to know your opinions. How do people feel about the fitness test standards being less for females in the more regular forces? In the RAF, for example - which doesn't have particularly high fitness standards as it is - the standard required for females is significantly lower than it is for males.
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The whole fitness assessment thing is changing early next year, more focused on functional capability in combat situations, and there will apparently be no distinction made for either sex or age.
How I feel about? That I dunno, we'll have to see.

As for Women in Inf/combat roles/SF? I'm not entirely sold yet, I've seen a lot of examples of women in supporting roles where it all goes wrong either though their actions/ability or through the actions of the blokes around them. The stakes are much higher in a front line environment. That said I'm absolutely not against women in front line roles, I've met and work with plenty who i'd happily have along side me on operations. It just has to be the right ones for the right reasons and without lowering standards, otherwise its all going to end up going horribly wrong.
 
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