ON WOMEN IN THE COMBAT ARMS:

I have met & worked with several women warriors, and most of them I respect a great deal. There is a place for them in the continuum of conflict, to include within Special Operations units and intelligence organizations. To place women within Combat Arms units, however, is folly; nothing less than politically correct stupidity - S.L.

"THERE'S A DICHOTOMY AT WORK IN OUR BUSINESS. MEN CAN ENGAGE IN THE WORST FORM OF BEHAVIOR - KILLING AND BEING KILLED - AND BE BETTER AT IT WHEN DEPRIVED OF THE PRESENCE OF WOMEN. THAT'S BECAUSE EVERY SOCIETY I KNOW OF, THE PROMISE OF WOMAN IS OF LIFE AND BIRTH, OF LOVE AND COMPASSION. THINGS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH WAR. YOU SEE, IT'S ALMOST A GIVEN THAT TO PREPARE MEN FOR WAR THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE PRESENCE OF WOMEN. OUR INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING HAS TO TAKE PLACE AWAY FROM THE FEMALE'S BASIC GOODNESS AND CIVILIZING INFLUENCE. THAT'S WHY WAR IS POSSIBLE . . ."

". . . I'M NOT SAYING WOMEN CAN'T SHOOT AS WELL AS MEN OR FLY AS WELL - WE BOTH KNOW BETTER. BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A COW IN A BULLRING. YOU MAY HAVE READ KIPLING, "THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES IS MORE DEADLY THAN THE MALE." SOME SAY THAT FEMALES OF ANY SPECIES ARE MORE DANGEROUS, BUT READ KIPLING CAREFULLY. THE FEMALES ONLY BECOME LETHAL IN DEFENSE OF THEIR CHILDREN OR TO FEED THEM. WOMEN WILL KILL, CERTAINLY, TO PRESERVE THEIR YOUNG. AND I FOR ONE THINK THAT'S AN ADMIRABLE QUALITY."

- Barret Tillman

Related: 8 Other Nations That Send Women to Combat

- National Geographic

STORMBRINGER SENDS