'Wanted: Elite women soldiers for Afghanistan"

Irishcurls

Link to an interesting article (<-- clicky) in the paper's magazine this morning. 

CN: Due to the culture in Afghanistan, male soldiers are unable to speak  or interact with women. The hope is female soldiers will be able to build a rapport with them to help with medical clinics and governance. The article states the teams have been successful, though it's unclear how that is really being measured. 

BinxRose

I didn't read the entire article, but that's very interesting! If I was tougher, I'd love to be a part of that.

kyrgyzstan

Being on a FET is something I'm extremely interested in, and I know a few ladies who've been on them for the Marine Corps, and they've enjoyed it.

ETA: That article states that 156/233 women have been selected, which is ≈67%. 

I think that's super high if we're going to compare these teams to Rangers and other SF teams. In my experience, the Marine Corps' FETs are compared to general infantry, and I'm interested to understand why these teams are compared to Rangers instead.

Irishcurls

Stan, I agree with you--the only thing I can think of is that it's more recognizable to the civilian populous to compare them to Rangers? I sort of wonder how the Army considers them. It sounds difficult certainly but not ludicrously elite. Definitely thought it was cool though!

iluvmytxrgr

One of these females was actually killed along side two 2nd BTN Rangers the other day.  I'll find the link and post it in a bit. 

kmmssg

I actually have two friends on FETs right now.  One volunteered, the other WAS volunteered.  I haven't heard from them lately but they were both pretty geeked about the opportunity and experience it would bring.

kyrgyzstan

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wanted-elite-women-soldiers-afghanistan?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:b004c0e6-d885-49f0-8516-a78c3e899c7fPost:2133c553-6e2b-4cbe-913d-cfbab0761836">Re: 'Wanted: Elite women soldiers for Afghanistan"</a>:
[QUOTE]One of these females was actually killed along side two 2nd BTN Rangers the other day.  I'll find the link and post it in a bit. 
Posted by iluvmytxrgr[/QUOTE]

<div>I hope you come back and post the link. I'm definitely interested in the selection process since it's such a high rate.</div>

calindi

Reading that article, I'm not sure how I feel about it all.  I mean, 100 hours isn't much for a selection process, it seems to me.  These missions would be a heck of a lot longer.  I feel like 3 weeks would be a minimum to make sure that the women can handle the stress of the role (I'm assuming the men have just as long, and likely much longer, when training to be special ops).

Also, when it talks about the cultural scenario, and the women are instantly screaming for education, that their husbands beat them, that they're baby-making slaves... it just seems so... stereotypical, and not at all accurate.  I mean, the women wouldn't instantly volunteer this information to a stranger in an American uniform.  There's far more distrust and the shame of sharing those secrets even with close family/friends is huge in Arab culture.  I just... it kind of pisses me off that this is how they portray it, in only one extreme example that isn't really likely.

Irishcurls

I think the point of the missions are to develop a long term relationship with these women, outside of them being oppressed.... more so that our soldiers are most likely missing out on a lot of information that might be shared with a female soldier. I didn't read it entirely as going in there to save them from their men, but more to engage in conversations about governing themselves, another perspective on the progress or lack their of and the society as a whole.

I agree though txrgr, I would be interested in the link if you have it!

calindi

No, no, it's not their mission - but I disagree with those unrealisitic scenarios being used for training.  I think it creates a false expectation.

I'm also supposing that this whole interaction is taking place in English, which is also so wrong.  Operating in a foreign language is even more stressful, so I feel like that should be part of the training scenarios.  Native speakers using realistic cultural interactions (perhaps based on real situations that have been faced in the past, ideally).

Sorry, it's the cultural communication snob in me.

Irishcurls

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wanted-elite-women-soldiers-afghanistan?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:b004c0e6-d885-49f0-8516-a78c3e899c7fPost:ae6076de-00fd-43a6-8837-51a0d3656a35">Re: 'Wanted: Elite women soldiers for Afghanistan"</a>:
[QUOTE]No, no, it's not their mission - but I disagree with those unrealisitic scenarios being used for training.  I think it creates a false expectation. I'm also supposing that this whole interaction is taking place in English, which is also so wrong.  Operating in a foreign language is even more stressful, so I feel like that should be part of the training scenarios.  Native speakers using realistic cultural interactions (perhaps based on real situations that have been faced in the past, ideally). Sorry, it's the cultural communication snob in me.
Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]
Yeah yeah, totally agre--I just went back and reread. I would be interested in what they actually ARE doing...

iluvmytxrgr

Here is the link
http://www.soc.mil/UNS/Releases/2011/October/111023-01.html
 
Also, not all of their training senarios revolve around helping abusive women.  On many of the missions they are on, the Spec Ops units are bursting into these houses in the middle of the night.  There are very often multiple families with children in those houses.  The women on these missions are there to help talk to the women and children and keep them calm.  They don't need to know Arabic because there are usually multiple terps there to help with communication.  Most all Spec Ops units and people attatched to them speak basic words in Arabic, so it isn't like they are going in there knowing nothing. 
This is a job I would have loved to have.  The guys were very doubtful of how this would go down in the begining.  They were worried about having to work with women and having to take care of them.  However, most of these women can handle them selves fairly well.  They don't expect the guys to take up and slack for them.  That's a good thing. 

Irishcurls

Thanks for the link txrgr. How sad.

Good info too, I'm so interested in the dynamics of things like this.

TeamBaby

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wanted-elite-women-soldiers-afghanistan?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:13Discussion:b004c0e6-d885-49f0-8516-a78c3e899c7fPost:01281a71-5bef-40b8-90a3-9d26599a6c7e">Re: 'Wanted: Elite women soldiers for Afghanistan"</a>:
[QUOTE]Being on a FET is something I'm extremely interested in, and I know a few ladies who've been on them for the Marine Corps, and they've enjoyed it. ETA: That article states that 156/233 women have been selected, which is  ≈67%.  I think that's super high if we're going to compare these teams to Rangers and other SF teams. In my experience, the Marine Corps' FETs are compared to general infantry, and I'm interested to understand why <strong>these teams are compared to Rangers instead</strong>.
Posted by WishIcouldbeinthe'stan[/QUOTE]

Hey Stan!  Where are you getting this from?  Our FETs are attached to Ranger and SF teams, but I've never heard them compared to either.  Just curious.

kyrgyzstan

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_wanted-elite-women-soldiers-afghanistan?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:b004c0e6-d885-49f0-8516-a78c3e899c7fPost:373ca002-0a7e-4007-87b6-2a0ce6f58baa">Re: 'Wanted: Elite women soldiers for Afghanistan"</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: 'Wanted: Elite women soldiers for Afghanistan" : Hey Stan!  Where are you getting this from?  Our FETs are attached to Ranger and SF teams, but I've never heard them compared to either.  Just curious.
Posted by TeamBaby[/QUOTE]

<div>Since the MC started doing FETs a couple years ago, they were described colloquially as female infantry platoons. This article clearly states in the title that they're serving alongside SF, thus the comparison. I think it's great, I just think the selection rate given in the article is a heck of a lot higher than I'd expect for anyone serving with/in any SF team.</div>