[Dilmah G]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/defence/cadet-scandal-defence-culture-faces-review-as-academy-chief-takes-leave/story-e6frg8yo-1226037279244

...Defence was already assessing the physical requirements of all military roles in a $2.5 million study as a precursor to removing gender bars on combat roles.

Mr Smith said the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, would bring forward the opening up of all roles, including combat roles, subject to physical and intellectual ability.

“When it comes to women in the ADF, including in combat roles, an opportunity for women should be determined on the basis of physical and intellectual capacity, not on gender,” Mr Smith said in Canberra.

“So the Chief of the Defence Force will bring forward that matter as a matter of priority.”

Air Chief Marshal Houston said it was imperative that women were able to apply for all positions on offer in the ADF.

“What we're looking at here is the last seven per cent (of roles) which are all combat-related and mainly in the Australian army,” he said.

“We are all one hundred per cent unanimous that this has to happen if we are to be a truly women-friendly organisation. We should have all positions open to women.”

The gender equality part of me thinks this is a good move, but from what I remember from the last study conducted on this by the Royal Navy, this kind of introduction was deemed to be counterproductive at the time because of the loss in unit cohesion slated to occur when units that function in such close quarters become mixed gender. If anything, I think it'll end up a little like when the ADF opened the door to homosexuals serving openly - a whole lot of 'OH**** THE SKY'S GOING TO FALL' followed by everything running just the way it always did.

[The E]

You guys are doing it wrong! When you remove all those preconceptions, someone might get the impression that you guys are actually running your military rationally! That is Not American!

[newman]

This is a bad idea for just one reason: drill instructors calling recruits "ladies" is so going to lose it's kick now

[Kosh]

If anything, I think it'll end up a little like when the ADF opened the door to homosexuals serving openly - a whole lot of 'OH**** THE SKY'S GOING TO FALL' followed by everything running just the way it always did.

Or about the time when people made those types of predictions when Truman integrated the US military.

[Dilmah G]

Or the time the military tried to do anything mildly different.

[JCDNWarrior]

Not as fun as it seems, especially if the Australian army will (continue to) use DU ammunition. Still, for those that want to go into war (and experience all it has to offer..) it's of course welcome for them. Just as long as it doesn't become mandatory or part of the draft. Which, it very well may become.

[The E]

Right.

The Draft.

Last I checked, the Ozzie armed forces are made up of volunteers only. I hardly doubt that, unless a really big war breaks out, they need to reinstate a draft policy.

With that in mind, please find and present evidence for this assertion:

...it's of course welcome for them. Just as long as it doesn't become mandatory or part of the draft. Which, it very well may become.

[JCDNWarrior]

Well, it's true being Australia, but it doesn't seem too impossible given all the world events of late. I just mean that by, allowing people something, you can later force that group of people into it.

[The E]

If things are going so bad that Australia needs to bolster its armed forces personnel by drafting from the general population then they have more pressing concerns than people wanting to protect women from having to serve on the frontline.

Let me ask you this, what would be so bad about drafting women into the armed forces if the situation has already deteriorated that far? Also, what makes it OK to draft men, but not women?

[Dilmah G]

Well to be fair, we did have conscription during the Vietnam War, but...yeah. Our current doctrine emphasizes being a small, professional force and we're able to achieve that with our current recruiting figures, so much so that we've actually stopped recruiting infantry for the time being.

On the issue of forcing women into direct combat roles, the current figures state that 1% or thereabouts of women in the defence force who are otherwise eligible for infantry are physically capable of hacking it. And that's women who are already held to a fitness standard, it may well be lower for the wider population.

I understand also that the projected rate of injury for women in Infantry training at Singleton, the ARA's School of Infantry would be higher than it currently is for men, because of their physical makeup. It would be seriously counterproductive for the Army to force all women under a national service scheme to be streamed to Infantry. The primary focus of this current review is valuing that people who are intellectually and physically qualified are able to pursue roles that reflect their respective levels of the two qualities. Only men and women who are capable of hacking being in an Infantry Unit will be posted there.

[General Battuta]

This is a great move as long as they keep their standards up and don't start letting underqualified women slip through. Things are going to be rough for female candidates for a while though.

[Dilmah G]

Yeah, I was thinking of mentioning girls like Revlon who had to tough it out under similar circumstances.

[Dragon]

Considering the kind of place Austraila is, I don't think that their armed forces will lose any part of their badassery by including women. 

[Enzo03]

Let me ask you this, what would be so bad about drafting women into the armed forces if the situation has already deteriorated that far? Also, what makes it OK to draft men, but not women?

It's from back in the day when it was simply accepted that women just didn't DO those kinds of things.
Today? Not quite the case.

[Nuclear1]

But...but...men will do nothing but think with their penises now

our armed forces are DOOMED

DOOMED I TELL YOU ifevenalittlebitsexiernow

[Dragon]

Australian Army women would just get chest hair (in the shape of Australia, no less), handlebar moustaches and large muscles (those who don't have them already, that is).
The Army will become twice as badass as it is now.

[Kszyhu]

But...but...men will do nothing but think with their penises now

our armed forces are DOOMED

DOOMED I TELL YOU ifevenalittlebitsexiernow

Soldiers won't start 'thinking with their penises', but those who are leaving advanced cognitive functions to their genitalia, certainly won't stop doing so.
Of course I don't claim it's good enough reason to block women from direct combat roles, but it certainly will be an issue.

[redsniper]

If you pay attention to nuclear1's past posts and general opinion on this topic, expressed in past threads, it will be apparent that he is being sarcastic.

[Mongoose]

Australian Army women would just get chest hair (in the shape of Australia, no less), handlebar moustaches and large muscles (those who don't have them already, that is).
The Army will become twice as badass as it is now.

An entire army of Saxton Hales...glorious.

[Black Wolf]

Trying to decide if the timing of this is a little suss, or just  mildly unfortunate. (For those not following Australian current affairs, google 'ADFA Skype scandal').