Today in “News I thought had happened years ago,” the Army Special Operations Command is deploying its first teams of female soldiers to serve on the front lines of combat. In a review of their work so far, their initial performance has been called “off the charts.”
This development means that it will be easier for U.S. forces to communicate with women in places like Afghanistan in a more respectful way, as many conservative Muslim women live under strict rules when it comes to conversing with men who are not members of their family. The move was controversial at first, but has been met with great success, the women working on what they’re calling “Cultural Support Teams.”
“When I send an [SF team] in to follow up on a Taliban hit … wouldn’t it be nice to have access to about 50 percent of that target population — the women?” said Maj. Gen. Bennet Sacolick, commander of the Army Special Warfare Center and School, which runs the CST program.
“And now we’re doing that with huge success,” Sacolick said. “They are in Afghanistan right now and the reviews are off the charts. They’re doing great.”
One thing to note is that there are currently eleven countries around the world who allow women in combat. That the U.S. is so far behind them is very interesting indeed, especially considering the benefits of having them present.
Currently, nearly 30 of the female special ops soldiers have been deployed, and they are working in villages and towns that have been cleared by the commandos.
We wish the women involved, as well as their fellow male soldiers, luck, safety and good health.
(via Military)
