SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
The Pentagon could be poised for a rapid about-face under the Trump administration, with the Obama administration's push for social reform surrendering to what could be an old-school emphasis on combat readiness and the spirit of the United States military, experts told FoxNews.com.
Under President Obama, the military sought to integrate transgender persons into the ranks, allow women into special operations forces and purge the nomenclature of gender-specific words, adopting what some critics say was a "politically correct" liberal agenda. That's a contrast to the traditional U.S. military approach.
In addition, some Navy ships have been named for civil rights activists. And while the Obama administration has taken an inclusive approach on some issues, it has also worked to minimize expressions of Christianity in the ranks. For example, several officers have been disciplined for displaying Bibles or gospel verses in their quarters.
Veterans and military experts told FoxNews.com that, while some of Obama's civil rights advancements may be locked in, neither Trump nor his choice for secretary of defense, Gen. James "Mad Dog" Mattis, are likely to make social experimentation a priority.
Source: Fox News
(Score: 2) by bradley13 on Saturday January 14 2017, @09:05AM
Let me just chime in here. I was in the Air Force, and we got to be the leader in gender BS. Since (aside from pilots) our people aren't really on the front line, so we had a lot less leverage to enforce minimum physical standards.
Just as an example: An aircraft mechanic must be able to handle tools, load munitions, etc.. Some of that stuff is heavy - not least some of the tools and toolboxes. On one base where I was assigned, there was a case of a woman mechanic who was unable to carry her toolbox. Her supervisor was informed that he could not include this negative information in her ratings. To the contrary, he had to ensure that someone was available to carry her toolbox for her.
This kind of BS has the following effects:
- It reduces the effectiveness of the military, because you have to carry personnel who are dead weight.
- It makes the men resent the women, because they overgeneralize and perceive all women as dead weight. Don't say they shouldn't: overgeneralizing is human nature, and it isn't going to change.
- It is hugely unfair to the women who are qualified and capable, because they have to keep proving it, over and over again.
As usual, the push to integrate women at any cost - in particular, by lowering standards - is utterly counterproductive. It's counterproductive in the military, it's counterproductive in IT, it's just one of those stupid, feel-good measures dictated by politicians without a clue.
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.