"Even Their Women Are Ferocious!"

[Guest]

If reports of PFC Lynch's valor are true, this is surely what the Iraqis who captured her must have thought.

It must have given them pause to realize that if this petite teenager from West Virginia, a supply clerk in a maintenance battalion, had so much fight in her, then what must our front-line troops be like!

If I were them, I would have been really, really demoralized.

And if PFC's Lynch's conduct can be corroborated, she's in line for major recognition. If I were her CO, and witnesses backed up the info on how she conducted herself the day her column was attacked, she'd be in line for a Silver Star, at least.

Contrast this girl's behavior with that sad-sack "Conscientious Objector" story from the other day!

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[bmcd308 0]

I think the funny part about this is the headline - "...Fought Captors with Gun"

As if I'm supposed to be surprised that a SOLDIER shot at somebody when she thought she was going to get killed. Why is it that people continue to believe that a woman cannot stop or send a bullet just as well as a man?

I don't know if any of you guys get Shotgun Sports magazine, but there is an article this month by a female world-class shooter who is basically completely fed up with guys who act like it is a big deal when she kicks their ass. It's kind of funny - she's like "I am a world class skeet shooter. I do this for a living. Of course I kicked your ass."

Anyway, shooting sports are gender neutral at their core, even if there is a women's class, and I would expect nothing less of a femal soldier than to shoot back when the sh!t hit the fan.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not taking anything away from her. In that situation, there were probably soldiers of both genders who did not keep a cool head and do what they were supposed to do. I read somewhere that even in the Marines (study was from Vietnam), that in Vietnam firefights only four out of ten actually aimed and fired their weapons, with another two to four firing at random, and the rest seeking cover. Trouble is, you never knew which guys were going to do which in a given firefight. Anyway, my point is not that she did not act with heroism and valor. My point is only that we should not be surprised by heroism and valor coming from a female, and reading the article, I got a little of that tone.

Maybe I just need more coffee. If this makes no sense, please flame me.

BMcD...

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www.jumpelvis.com

[DYEVOUT 0]

My (older) sister was on the R.O.T.C. rifle team at Indiana University. I was a lot younger then, but I remember the satisfaction she got out of outshooting damn near anyone she came up against (mostly guys). Including some of her instructors!

----------------=8^)----------------------
"I think that was the wrong tennis court."

[Guest]

Quote

I think the funny part about this is the headline - "...Fought Captors with Gun"

As if I'm supposed to be surprised that a SOLDIER shot at somebody when she thought she was going to get killed. Why is it that people continue to believe that a woman cannot stop or send a bullet just as well as a man?

I don't know if any of you guys get Shotgun Sports magazine, but there is an article this month by a female world-class shooter who is basically completely fed up with guys who act like it is a big deal when she kicks their ass. It's kind of funny - she's like "I am a world class skeet shooter. I do this for a living. Of course I kicked your ass."

Anyway, shooting sports are gender neutral at their core, even if there is a women's class, and I would expect nothing less of a femal soldier than to shoot back when the sh!t hit the fan.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not taking anything away from her. In that situation, there were probably soldiers of both genders who did not keep a cool head and do what they were supposed to do. I read somewhere that even in the Marines (study was from Vietnam), that in Vietnam firefights only four out of ten actually aimed and fired their weapons, with another two to four firing at random, and the rest seeking cover. Trouble is, you never knew which guys were going to do which in a given firefight. Anyway, my point is not that she did not act with heroism and valor. My point is only that we should not be surprised by heroism and valor coming from a female, and reading the article, I got a little of that tone.

Maybe I just need more coffee. If this makes no sense, please flame me.

BMcD...

No flames, but it appears the point I was making was missed.

Over there, women are chattel, or property. In Saudi Arabia, they're covered up from head to toe in public, forbidden to drive vehicles, and can be legally flogged by their "masters" (read - husbands) in public. Although Iraq is far more secular, their mysogynistic cultural ways remain influential. It must have been shocking for their backward minds to wrap around the fact that this little lady from West Virginia opened a can of whup-ass on them.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[bmcd308 0]

No disagreement here. While I would agree that their mysogynism probably made them quite surprised when they found out the soldier who had been killing them in large numbers weighed in at a buck and quarter and could not grow a beard, I guess the point I was trying to make is that the reporter's tone struck me as having a little mysogynism to it, as well. As if any women should be repulsed by a gun or something.

For some strange reason (likely a mental defect), I am still surprised and disappointed when the hoplophobia of journalists shines through in their reporting of the news.

BMcD...

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www.jumpelvis.com

[mnischalke 0]

In a culture that regularly sodomizes their (male) prisoners as a sign of dominance, I am not sure that we'll ever hear the whole story of that little girl, and I know really don't want to. God only knows how they treated her if they treat their own women the way they do. I would bet a million dollars that she suffered no more than a gunshot wound before being taken prisoner, but then again, I don't want to know. Knowledge would only make me want to grab my gear and a ticket to saudi arabia.

mike

Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills--You know, like nunchuk skills, bow-hunting skills, computer-hacking skills.

[jlmiracle 7]

Consider yourself flamed. I'm going to kick your ass this weekend. She is a tough chick - We need to recruit her for skydiving when she feels up to it. I would volunteer to be one of her JM's and in fact I will volunteer my hubby too.

Judy
If mean people suck does that mean nice people swallow?

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Guest]

Quote

No disagreement here. While I would agree that their mysogynism probably made them quite surprised when they found out the soldier who had been killing them in large numbers weighed in at a buck and quarter and could not grow a beard, I guess the point I was trying to make is that the reporter's tone struck me as having a little mysogynism to it, as well. As if any women should be repulsed by a gun or something.

For some strange reason (likely a mental defect), I am still surprised and disappointed when the hoplophobia of journalists shines through in their reporting of the news.

BMcD...

Yeah, I could see a little of that too. Part of what surprised me about PFC Lynch was that she was a nineteen year-old supply clerk in a maintenance battalion, and according to earlier reports, had enlisted for education benefits in order to become a schoolteacher. The subsequent reports of her valor, if true, are therefore all the more amazing, her gender notwithstanding.

So therefore, if I was among the Iraqis that captured her, my thoughts would have been along the lines of "Holy shit! If this girl-child is just a clerk, what are the infidel commandos like?!"

edit for spelling and italic emphasis.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[DYEVOUT 0]

Roger that, Mark

Not only is that gal an asskicker and nametaker, she's also not too tough to look at.

----------------=8^)----------------------
"I think that was the wrong tennis court."

[charliezulu 0]

She's going to get back here, read the conscientious objector story, and make Private Funk her own personal bitch.

CZ

[Guest]

Quote

Roger that, Mark

Not only is that gal an asskicker and nametaker, she's also not too tough to look at.

I wasn't gonna say it, but now that it has been...yeah, she's real easy on the eyes . Bet she's got a charming West Virginia accent as well . I'd also bet she's already got a ton of proposals...

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[Guest]

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She's going to get back here, read the conscientious objector story, and make Private Funk her own personal bitch.

hehehe

I hope PVT Funk has had PFC Lynch's valor brought to his attention

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[DJL 235]

Quote

I read somewhere that even in the Marines (study was from Vietnam), that in Vietnam firefights only four out of ten actually aimed and fired their weapons, with another two to four firing at random, and the rest seeking cover.

Would that be from a book about leading small units. That's true for the Vietnam era that even in, according to text, what were considered good units there was still only about 50% of the unit participating. However, that was a drafted army, I'd like to hear from modern combatants but I'd guess it's now closer to 100%.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[bmcd308 0]

>>Would that be from a book about leading small units. <<

Unfortunately, I made an impossible to verify assertion here, because I have no memory of where I got the info. For all I know, snopes has it debunked as an urban legend.

Sorry.

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www.jumpelvis.com

[Guest]

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>>Would that be from a book about leading small units. <<

Unfortunately, I made an impossible to verify assertion here, because I have no memory of where I got the info. For all I know, snopes has it debunked as an urban legend.

Sorry.

You may be thinking of retired US Army psychologist LtCol David Grossman's book, "On Killing", in which the psychology of organized warfare is discussed in fascinating detail. It's a MUST-READ for our times.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[billvon 3,079]

>Why is it that people continue to believe that a woman cannot stop
> or send a bullet just as well as a man?

In their defense, their suprise might have been that a supply clerk (rather than a woman) fought back so intensely.

[markbaur 0]

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Would that be from a book about leading small units.

The reference is from S.L.A. Marshall, Men Against Fire, first published in 1947. I gave away my copy when I found I wasn't going to be an infantryman any more, but as I recall the historical percentage of infantrymen firing their individual weapons in combat has been about 15% even in the best units.
Mark

[Guest]

Quote

Quote

Would that be from a book about leading small units.

The reference is from S.L.A. Marshall, Men Against Fire, first published in 1947. I gave away my copy when I found I wasn't going to be an infantryman any more, but as I recall the historical percentage of infantrymen firing their individual weapons in combat has been about 15% even in the best units.

Mark

S.L.A. Marshall's findings are extensively quoted by Grossman in his book. I say again, it is imperative that citizens read "On Killing".

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[Luv2Fall 0]

Roger that!

This gal is a true American soldier........I salute her.

[QuickDraw 0]

I thought this was going to be a post about the town where i live.

-- Hope you don't die. --

I'm fucking winning