# Wanted to know if there is female who's going for Infantry trade????



## Heavy_Duty391 (29 Jun 2005)

Hi, well just wanted to know if there is any female like me who's joining the Infantry trade (Regular Forces)....   I'm starting my BMQ on the 23rd of Aug.  I can't wait to start my battle school though, woohoo!!!!  Dam it's almost 32 weeks of training, but will probably go pretty fast, I will miss my bf a lot though :-\
Would be very cool to know before I leave if there is enough crazy women like me to join this fantastic trade that is the Infantry :threat:, HOUAH!!!  Let me know and we can get in touch before we leave....
Cheers all 
RGR OUT


----------



## SeanPaul_031 (29 Jun 2005)

I always thought that females werent allowed to join the combat arms trades, or is this just the US?
I thought there was some law that prevents women from entering direct combat?


All the power to you though >


----------



## swanita (29 Jun 2005)

SeanPaul_031 said:
			
		

> I always thought that females werent allowed to join the combat arms trades, or is this just the US?
> I thought there was some law that prevents women from entering direct combat?
> 
> 
> All the power to you though >



Dude, that is totally an American thing. Get with the program!!  : As for you heavy duty...be prepared to be put extremely to the test by all that male testosterone BS.  I'm in infantry reserves but have heard stories from females who've done reg force infantry.  Kick some serious a*s!!!


----------



## Gouki (29 Jun 2005)

Best of luck to you

Any idea what regiment you want to join?


----------



## canadianblue (29 Jun 2005)

As well as an Australian thing. Best of luck to you on the infantry course, hope all goes well.


----------



## McG (2 Jul 2005)

SeanPaul_031 said:
			
		

> I always thought that females werent allowed to join the combat arms trades, or is this just the US?
> I thought there was some law that prevents women from entering direct combat?


Do some reaserch.  You look like a fool when spouting such absoulutely backwards information (especially while still on C&P).  For this subject, you can start with the site's 5th larges thread: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/27970.0.html


----------



## Shadow Cat (4 Jul 2005)

I have a female friend that decided to join the infantry trade but she ended up getting released as she tore her back up badly and was stuck in a wheelchair for a few months till she recovered.


----------



## Infanteer101 (22 Aug 2005)

Roger that Shadow Cat...I too have a good friend who started out wanting to be in the Infantry but tore half of her lower back muscles and right shoulder blade a year and a half ago and is still recovering...This is of-course in no way a discouragement to any females wanting to join the infantry. We need physically fit, tactically trained and regimentally sound pers for the infantry and that includes both males and females! Cheers


----------



## paracowboy (22 Aug 2005)

Nicely said, Paladin. I, on the other hand, actively discourage females from joining the Infantry. Or the Engineers, for that matter.
Best of luck to you, Heavy.


----------



## Springroll (22 Aug 2005)

Good luck Heavy_Duty!!

YOU GO GIRL!!

I'm not going infantry, I'm going engineers, but I am sure at some point we will meet, and definitely have to have a couple brews and chat.


----------



## NCRCrow (22 Aug 2005)

Quick history lesson see below:

http://www.dnd.ca/site/Minister/eng/genderint/chap2_e.htm


----------



## NCRCrow (22 Aug 2005)

did u think u would see the day that Canadian Naval Females would be wearing Submarnier Dolphins.

Looks good on them, I am sure purists would not agree.


----------



## Beast 77 (23 Aug 2005)

Hey Paracowboy,
Why? Or are you joking?


----------



## paracowboy (23 Aug 2005)

No, I'm quite serious. I've posted this before. It just never works out well for females in the Infantry. And since the Engineers do just as much (more, actually) intensive physical stuff, it doesn't work out well for them there, either (at least according to my Engineer friends. Not being one, I have no first-hand knowledge). They usually end up leaving with a very sour taste in their mouths, and it ends up being a waste of a good soldier.
I've known a few women Infanteers. Most are capable, intelligent (usually a little more so than their male counter-parts), and motivated. But their frames fail them. Very few handle the physical strain this trade demands for long. They all OT, re-muster, or release. Including the ones who cross over from the Reserves. Women are capable of tolerating more pain than males, but their bodies aren't meant to do the sort of silliness that Infantrymen, especially Light Infantrymen, have to do. This is an opinion formed after talking with females in the Infantry. We have two in my BN, both have their OTs in.  
I don't think women "have no place on the battlefield", but I do think they can serve better in another trade. Armour, I would think would be a good place (I may be wrong, I'm not Armour). Arty, Tpt, most other trades I would think. But not Infantry or Engineer. Not knowing much about the Air force or Navy, I have no idea if they have trades where a woman's (generally) smaller stature and lighter frame would work against them. (HFXCrow, I would think that these would be assets in a submarine, wouldn't they?)


----------



## Island Ryhno (23 Aug 2005)

It doesn't work out for a lot of smaller framed guys as well. Not all of course, because you know there are some hard core smaller guys out there. But if you are 130-140lbs, and your trying to luck a fuck*n rucksack that is almost as heavy as you are, well, it doesn't always work out so well.


----------



## Scoobie Newbie (23 Aug 2005)

There is one in our BN that just finished the Mod 6.


----------



## D-n-A (23 Aug 2005)

Heavy_Duty391 said:
			
		

> HOUAH!!!



It's hooah, or HUA(Heard Understood Acknowledged), an its also a US Army thing.

Anyways, good luck


----------



## paracowboy (23 Aug 2005)

CFL said:
			
		

> There is one in our BN that just finished the Mod 6.


One in mine, too. Has her OT in. 
I don't say this because there's any misogyny in me. I'm just stating facts as I've seen them. I hate to see people get their hopes crushed. And I hate to see the Infantry lose good troops, especially to see them leave so bitter (and injured).
Oh well. There's bound to be an exception, and maybe our thread-starter is it.


----------



## Scoobie Newbie (23 Aug 2005)

You have a point but there are plenty of broken guys as well who have put OT's in or have been thrown to the wolves by BN who were very good troops.  Why not get a trade before you get out (is the way a lot of guys look at it).


----------



## paracowboy (23 Aug 2005)

CFL said:
			
		

> You have a point but there are plenty of broken guys as well who have put OT's in or have been thrown to the wolves by BN who were very good troops.   Why not get a trade before you get out (is the way a lot of guys look at it).


and I'm all for it! I intend to do the same very shortly. Another year or two, and I'll be useless to the infantry. A liability, rather than an asset.
But, from my own personal experiences (and if yours are different from mine, speak right up) females's bodies fail them sooner, and with greater frequency, doing Infantry stuff. Especially Light Infantry stuff.
However, considering the low numbers of women who actually *want* to this for a living, the ratio is rather skewed.


----------



## Scoobie Newbie (24 Aug 2005)

Your right in saying that there are such few of them that when they get out it seems more so then say the number of guys that do 3 and out.


----------



## Heavy_Duty391 (22 Nov 2005)

Hey ! I'm back from Basic in St-Jean...I made it pretty good, with good and awesome scores on all my tests and exams.  But I finished Basic and decided to change trade...no more Infantry for me...yes, really not fr me, I'm crazy enough for it, that's not the problem...the problem is that I'M too petite for it...crappp....
I have to get my release and re apply in the trade I want to join, Traffic Tech. it will be, sweet.
So it will take 3 months (till Feb.) to get out of here (I'm at Val-Cartier, pretty boring bcse I don't know anyone here...I'm at the 504 and I'm, of course the only female in the building...lol.one out of 82 men...lol).
Then I have to wait 6 months fr my application :crybaby:
But I will be back soon..... >
cheers
Pte.Audet391
P.S. I know its HUA, but since I'm not in the US Army, I prefer my little HOUAH!!!! ...


----------



## D-n-A (22 Nov 2005)

I'm pretty sure you don't have to release to do a OT.. talk to your section/plt commander about doing a OT they should have all the info you need on how to do it, or be able to get the info.

Anyways, HUA = Heard Understood Acknowledged.     US Soldiers say HOOAH


----------



## jmackenzie_15 (22 Nov 2005)

Theres also Oo-rah, the war cry of the US Marines.

And yeah, there are alot of smaller guys that have a harder time too. When I did SQ, i was about 125-130lbs and I almost wrecked my back on one particular ruck march... another km or two and im sure I would have torn something. The pain was excruciating but when I had it checked out they said it was just really really strained.... I personally blame my platoon commander at the time, who was the kind of guy to try his damndest to break the smaller guys or anybody who displayed any kind of weakness whatsoever.

Theres no training value in giving certain people harder times in an attempt to break their will, but im not going into that can of worms again.
I think he was fired shortly after, when higher ups found out he was running troops into the ground to feed his own ego of being hardcore or something, instead of giving them training and valuable PT.

Im curious to some comments some of you made, a couple by paracowboy in particular about your body failing you. Ive only been doing this part time, some full time on and off etc for a little over two years, but im going to assume you mean that doing all this strenuous activity on your body for years and years eventually causes you to fall apart physically? Or did you have some kind of recurring injury....

I hear alot about guys being in the infantry for a while and by the time they get out their bodies are all batterred and smashed up.How much of this is truth and how much is exaggeration? I would like to do this for a living, but Im not to keen on the idea that some day ill force myself out simply because my body is all used up.  :-\


----------



## GO!!! (22 Nov 2005)

Mack674 said:
			
		

> Theres also Oo-rah, the war cry of the US Marines.
> 
> And yeah, there are alot of smaller guys that have a harder time too. When I did SQ, i was about 125-130lbs and I almost wrecked my back on one particular ruck march... another km or two and im sure I would have torn something. The pain was excruciating but when I had it checked out they said it was just really really strained.... I personally blame my platoon commander at the time, who was the kind of guy to try his damndest to break the smaller guys or anybody who displayed any kind of weakness whatsoever.



The moral of the story is not to display weakness (or be weak)  



> Theres no training value in giving certain people harder times in an attempt to break their will, I think he was fired shortly after, when higher ups found out he was running troops into the ground to feed his own ego of being hardcore or something, instead of giving them training and valuable PT.



I'm curious how you know what has trg value and what does'nt, being in the military for such a short time. 
Also, if you don't push yourself until you break, you will never know how far you can go. Ergo, this platoon commander did the pushing for you, so that you would be able to find out.



> Im curious to some comments some of you made, a couple by paracowboy in particular about your body failing you. Ive only been doing this part time, some full time on and off etc for a little over two years, but im going to assume you mean that doing all this strenuous activity on your body for years and years eventually causes you to fall apart physically? Or did you have some kind of recurring injury....
> 
> I hear alot about guys being in the infantry for a while and by the time they get out their bodies are all batterred and smashed up.How much of this is truth and how much is exaggeration? I would like to do this for a living, but Im not to keen on the idea that some day ill force myself out simply because my body is all used up.   :-\



If you are unable/unwilling to push yourself all the time, I doubt you really want to do this for a living. Furthermore, not to hammer on you too much, but if you found that a militia SQ "almost wrecked you", you should probably consider another trade. The courses only get harder, longer and with more c0ck. Then you hit the Bn, where 80lbs + rucksacks are the norm, usually more when in the field.

It is true that alot of guys are pretty banged up after several years in the infantry. Alot of guys are fighting fit into their 40s too. I find that in this trade, you either have the "bod" for it or you don't. If you don't, you can work for it (I did) but you just postpone the inevitable. Eventually, we all break. It's just a matter of time.


----------



## paracowboy (22 Nov 2005)

Mack,
to answer your question: my body is failing me because it was struck by a moving automobile travelling at a high rate of knots. Shortly after impact the vehicle was fully at rest, while my body was travelling at a high rate of knots. Physics in action.

HeavyDuty,
well done. 

Everybody,
we don't say "hoo-ah", "hua", or "oo-rah".


----------



## jmackenzie_15 (22 Nov 2005)

Para, that really sucks and im sorry to hear that  .

Go!!! :



Its not that I am unwilling to push myself, I do as much as possible. I just would like to do the job for as long as possible, and I know I wouldnt be happy after im in my mid-late 30s and im just too beat up to do it anymore.

It wasnt the SQ course that almost wrecked my back, it was just one particular ruck march where the platoon commander decided to give the three smallest guys in the platoon alot more gear to carry than anyone else.I think I could handle it alot better now than I could then, im about 25lbs heavier and in alot better shape... but I didnt see the training value in doing that.Instead of trying to even out the platoons gear amongst the troops, he gave as much to us as would fit on our bodies, and dispersed the rest evenly. Another troop smaller than I was, had a c6 + lots of ammunition and a pick as I recall.

It was the same few guys all course, and some other guys expressed the same concerns as did amongst ourselves.
Regardless, we all finished the course and that march and nobody was crippled.Of course we should all be able to perform to the same high standard, but we definately werent imagining things when it seemed like all the smallest guys were carrying the heaviest kit every day.Maybe he felt we had something more to prove?

Peronsally, I actually enjoy the courses and leaders that push us all to ridiculous lengths mentally and physically.I like the challenges and while they suck for the duration, when the tasks are completed the satisfaction is something I can't get anywhere else.What I dont enjoy is a somewhat difficult course, where 3 or 4 guys are being treated as though they have to perform at twice the standard to be equal with everyone else for no clear or explained reason.It just sends the wrong message to the troops.... if we're going to carry a c6 and a crapload of ammo and entrenching materials, then everyone on the course should have to do it at some point.

When you say that we all break eventually, do you mean because of the job, or because eventually because of age ?
I dont expect to be able to hump 100lb rucksacks through the jungles and deserts of the world well into my 60s of course.... I think i will have probobly had my fill when its time to put the boots away anyway.


----------



## Glorified Ape (29 Nov 2005)

swanita said:
			
		

> be prepared to be put extremely to the test by all that male testosterone BS.



Funny - that "male testosterone BS" is precisely why men are naturally better suited, generally, for the infantry than women (see next quote below). It's about as "BS" in the context of the infantry as female estrogen is "BS" in the context of mothering. If its social manifestations are "BS" to someone, I'd suggest they pursue a different trade as the overwhelming majority of the infantry is composed of males possessing "BS testosterone". :



			
				Heavy_Duty391 said:
			
		

> I finished Basic and decided to change trade...no more Infantry for me...the problem is that I'M too petite for it



Case in point.


----------

