Women in the Infantry - Observation 1

 Today I watched as a Female doubled over, having taken a hard punch in the gut. As we awaited our turn for blood, huddled in a tight circle, a dozen of us others watched as a Captain yelled, "CLOSE! FINISH HER! FINISH HER!" The Marine fighting her continued to land punch after punch on her already wilting body. I listened to her gasp for breath and stammer for footing. I felt disgusted. My immediate reaction told me to step in, to throw the other Marine off of her and protect her. I felt wrong, in every sense of the word, standing by witnessing what was happening before me. I did nothing. There was a lull and a Captain stepped in and grabbed the assaulting Marine by his blouse, "IF YOU TAKE IT EASY ON HER BECAUSE SHE IS A FEMALE I WILL KICK YOU IN THE F**** FACE. KILLING DOESNT CARE ABOUT GENDER. THE ENEMY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT GENDER!"

I thought about Aspen being in the middle of that circle, getting pummeled, gasping for air. The sickness I had been experiencing moments earlier was now exponentially more gut-wrenching. 

She shouldn't have been here. Where are we as a culture that we not only allow but praise women for seeking out roles in combat. What is it that initiates in a woman's mind the urge to do so? I am watching this play out as there are three females in my class of now 88 Marines undergoing this school. I will continue to watch what unfolds closely as the course continues, as this is an issue I intend to potentially end my career over. 

If that had been a real close combat engagement, She would no longer be breathing, and her parents would no longer have a daughter. I would disagree with the Captain and argue that, while he is partly correct, death may not care about gender - The enemy in fact will. A sleep-deprived, drugged-out, freedom fighter will. And he would not only kill but defile her body over and over and over again, and most likely on video for all to see. This is graphic, yes, I hope it instills in you the same disgust that I felt today. War is not a social experiment. We should not treat our military as such. 

I pray that Meghan and Aspen never have to fight. After all, they are what I am protecting.