Women In the Infantry
- Thread starter RyaeC
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MikeL
Guest
RyaeC said:
Not a Sir, being ambitious isn't a bad thing, but that ambition should maybe be directed towards what is immediately in front of you not at what is at least a couple years away. As well, getting into the Infantry may not even happen for awhile as the trade is not allowing in as large numbers as it used to. Search a bit more and you will see threads by people who have been waiting to get into the Infantry for awhile.
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Now that everyone has finished parsing each of your sentences without answering any of you questions (it is as much about fatigue from answering the same questions over and over again as it is about bluntness), I will try to provide some feedback.
The infantry is a very rewarding trade, but it is not for the fainthearted, the thin-skinned, the weak-kneed or the work-avoider. It is very demanding physically, surprisingly (for the uninitiated) demanding intellectually, and will build your character like few other endeavours in your life will. You will forge bonds with fellow soldiers that are literally unimaginable on civvie street. You will endure mind-numbing boredom, soul-crushing routine, and life-defining challenges at various times throughout your career, and occasionally all in the same day.
Your gender is completely immaterial. It could not matter less. Only your performance, motivation and dedication will matter, and it is all that will be judged, but you need to understand that it will be judged harshly and without let up - for you as for every other soldier.
If you want that kind of challenge, then embrace it. Don't overthink it. Don't over-research it. Ferchrissakes don't allow your decision to be based on the feedback from faceless people on the internet. Just do it. I guarantee that it will change you, one way or another, irrespective of whether or not you are successful in training, or whether you do it for 3, 6, 20 or 30 years.
Does that help?
The infantry is a very rewarding trade, but it is not for the fainthearted, the thin-skinned, the weak-kneed or the work-avoider. It is very demanding physically, surprisingly (for the uninitiated) demanding intellectually, and will build your character like few other endeavours in your life will. You will forge bonds with fellow soldiers that are literally unimaginable on civvie street. You will endure mind-numbing boredom, soul-crushing routine, and life-defining challenges at various times throughout your career, and occasionally all in the same day.
Your gender is completely immaterial. It could not matter less. Only your performance, motivation and dedication will matter, and it is all that will be judged, but you need to understand that it will be judged harshly and without let up - for you as for every other soldier.
If you want that kind of challenge, then embrace it. Don't overthink it. Don't over-research it. Ferchrissakes don't allow your decision to be based on the feedback from faceless people on the internet. Just do it. I guarantee that it will change you, one way or another, irrespective of whether or not you are successful in training, or whether you do it for 3, 6, 20 or 30 years.
Does that help?
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Thank you PPCLI Guy,
Please folks, let us keep this civil. I do not want to close this thread, however, I will monitor it an punish those that do not follow guidelines.
RyaeC, explore the site, as you will find many of the questions that come to mind, have more than likely already have been answered in our forums.
dileas
tess
milnet.ca moderator
Please folks, let us keep this civil. I do not want to close this thread, however, I will monitor it an punish those that do not follow guidelines.
RyaeC, explore the site, as you will find many of the questions that come to mind, have more than likely already have been answered in our forums.
dileas
tess
milnet.ca moderator
Thank you PPCLI Guy,
Finally I got the feed back I was looking for. I needed to read/hear everything you just typed there.
I respect the bluntness of it. It is the reality of the situation, and it is not all fluffed up.
" Only your performance, motivation and dedication will matter, and it is all that will be judged, but you need to understand that it will be judged harshly and without let up - for you as for every other soldier."
I understand it will be a challenge and it will change who I am. Which is what makes it so exciting. I want a challenging , different and exciting job. I want to meet new people, and learn a vast amount of new things. I will basically be a sponge. I can not wait.
But obviously the wait time/application process is a whole other issue. I know it is worth the wait though.
Thanks for your feedback. Much appreaciated.
Finally I got the feed back I was looking for. I needed to read/hear everything you just typed there.
I respect the bluntness of it. It is the reality of the situation, and it is not all fluffed up.
" Only your performance, motivation and dedication will matter, and it is all that will be judged, but you need to understand that it will be judged harshly and without let up - for you as for every other soldier."
I understand it will be a challenge and it will change who I am. Which is what makes it so exciting. I want a challenging , different and exciting job. I want to meet new people, and learn a vast amount of new things. I will basically be a sponge. I can not wait.
But obviously the wait time/application process is a whole other issue. I know it is worth the wait though.
Thanks for your feedback. Much appreaciated.
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Check to see if there are local Infantry Reserve Regiments in your area. You look into joining and if you enjoy the infantry you could put in for a transfer to the Reg Force.
UPDATE:
I had my interview today, It went superbly well (I believe). I was merit listed for two very different careers,
- Infantry Soldier (Army)
- Steward (Navy)
It was said that I was very competitive, and am very fit for both positions.
Also that "It would be of great pleasure for me (Him) to sumbit you (Me) to be merit listed asap". Which I am taking as a good thing!
I am very pleased, and Selection is apparently upcoming in June 2012! Fingers crossed! I am anticipating and very excited.
Thanks for the Advice and for everyone for taking time out to help me.
P.S. is it normal to be merit listed for two positions at the same time?
(Either way I am glad, [also I posted this in another forum to appreciate all that help me there! I am aware.])
I had my interview today, It went superbly well (I believe). I was merit listed for two very different careers,
- Infantry Soldier (Army)
- Steward (Navy)
It was said that I was very competitive, and am very fit for both positions.
Also that "It would be of great pleasure for me (Him) to sumbit you (Me) to be merit listed asap". Which I am taking as a good thing!
I am very pleased, and Selection is apparently upcoming in June 2012! Fingers crossed! I am anticipating and very excited.
Thanks for the Advice and for everyone for taking time out to help me.
P.S. is it normal to be merit listed for two positions at the same time?
(Either way I am glad, [also I posted this in another forum to appreciate all that help me there! I am aware.])
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RyaeC said:
I want to congratulate you for a showing today! I am not picking on you, so please don't take offense but talk about two trades at opposite ends of the spectrum!
Look at them as Ying and Yang....North and South....Hot and Cold...Navy and Arm.....You get the picture.
dileas
tess
the 48th regulator said:
I know right, huge difference!?
When I first applied I had chose Infantry soldier. Although my family were a little unsettled by this and I decided to change my focus for them. Hence, the decision for Steward. It had a lot of similarities with my current job, and I figured I would do well in it. I had finished my interview for Steward, I was merit listed but then got dropped. I then decided to think and talk to my family about my consistent desire to be an infantry soldier or officer, and we came to a conclusion. Which led me to reapply, and then now I am where I am. Complicated, I know.
Bzzliteyr
Army.ca Veteran
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ObedientiaZelum said:
I too question that statement..
Did you mean that you are infantry and have had a bad experience therefore you don't recommend it? Or did you mean that you've judged her by the posts here and don't think she's cut out for it? Or is it something else?
Bzzliteyr said:
I hope that I have not come off to whomever has read my posts as someone unfitting for my personal career aspirations.
Also, I am hoping, if I was in an interview with a Captain with former infantry officer experience, who believed I would be an asset, and fit really well based on my back ground, education, knowledge etc. One would hope he would not just send random people who he did not think "were cut out for it", and merit list them for potential employment!
I am thinking he probably might be speaking from personal experience?
???
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RyaeC said:
Aren't Stewards the ones who hold the screaming and flailing patients down as the surgeon saws off cannon-shattered limbs with a breadknife and no anaesthetic other than rum as the wounded stack up at the height of the battle?
Or has Naval Medicine advanced since I last watched Master and Commander?
"Aren't Stewards the ones who hold the screaming and flailing patients down as the surgeon saws off cannon-shattered limbs with a breadknife and no anaesthetic other than rum as the wounded stack up at the height of the battle?"
From what I have researched about the Steward trade in the Navy, this does not occur. Not usually something that makes people want to apply :2c:
From what I have researched about the Steward trade in the Navy, this does not occur. Not usually something that makes people want to apply :2c:
Jarnhamar
Army.ca Myth
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RyaeC, I'll be candid with you.
Personally I do not like working with females in the infantry. Both for the high percent of them that I've found tried using being a female to their advantage, played the flirty flirty game, weren't up to it physically or mentally AND because of how stupid male soldiers behave and act near them. Makes me embarrassed being male.
(I'm talking from a grunt level, it seems to be different for officers).
You can say well that's the guys problem not mine, but it is. Because the infantry is a small team environment and if you're the odd one out for whatever reason than your time there is hell. You date one of the guys in your unit and as silly as it is, the guys stop seeing you as a soldier and more as a chick that corporal whoever was humping.
My personally feelings aside, from what I have witnessed women that join the infantry sooner rather than later end up leaving. They don't like it, they don't like how guys treat them, they get tired of the BS. They don't have a lot of fun. It's not fair but guys treat them differently, judge them much harsher and don't often accept them as peers or equals.
You should ask why there are not many women in the infantry. It's not that they absolutely can't do it physically, mentally or skill wise on their own, some can and excel at it. There are a LOT of very fit females in the CF. In the infantry, as a troop (private/corporal) it's how the pack treats you. Every little mistake a woman makes gets blown out of proportion. It's not fair and it's not cool. Sorry.
There are lots of (well quite a few) women in combat arms. Artillery. Engineers. Armored. There are very very few in the infantry.
I hope you join the Canadian Forces but as a soldier with a bit of time in I think you will enjoy the military much more if you pick something other than infantry.
Personally I do not like working with females in the infantry. Both for the high percent of them that I've found tried using being a female to their advantage, played the flirty flirty game, weren't up to it physically or mentally AND because of how stupid male soldiers behave and act near them. Makes me embarrassed being male.
(I'm talking from a grunt level, it seems to be different for officers).
You can say well that's the guys problem not mine, but it is. Because the infantry is a small team environment and if you're the odd one out for whatever reason than your time there is hell. You date one of the guys in your unit and as silly as it is, the guys stop seeing you as a soldier and more as a chick that corporal whoever was humping.
My personally feelings aside, from what I have witnessed women that join the infantry sooner rather than later end up leaving. They don't like it, they don't like how guys treat them, they get tired of the BS. They don't have a lot of fun. It's not fair but guys treat them differently, judge them much harsher and don't often accept them as peers or equals.
You should ask why there are not many women in the infantry. It's not that they absolutely can't do it physically, mentally or skill wise on their own, some can and excel at it. There are a LOT of very fit females in the CF. In the infantry, as a troop (private/corporal) it's how the pack treats you. Every little mistake a woman makes gets blown out of proportion. It's not fair and it's not cool. Sorry.
There are lots of (well quite a few) women in combat arms. Artillery. Engineers. Armored. There are very very few in the infantry.
I hope you join the Canadian Forces but as a soldier with a bit of time in I think you will enjoy the military much more if you pick something other than infantry.
