Army chief General Peter Leah retires and talks about women in the ADF. He has no problems with the girls serving in most of the force but draws the line at direct combat units, as he should.
General Leahy said the other key issue involving gender was one of physical strength and the capacity of men and women to perform certain tasks.
“There aren’t many women playing in the Wallabies, or for Carlton, or Essendon. It’s about the physical capability and there are some men who can’t play in the Wallabies. So we need to be fairly clinical, if you like,” he said. “If you want to be in the infantry and you want to be fighting in combat you had better to able to carry a heavy pack long distances.”
While army studies suggested some women could do that, “right now they are busy getting ready to go to Beijing for the Olympics”, General Leahy said.
That ‘heavy pack” in my experience could, and often did, weigh about a hundred pounds or 45 kilos so his point is valid.
The other reason I never wanted women in Infantry is I know full well that if Private Kevin was in a forward pit with Private Sheilah I wouldn’t be looking to my front or watching my arcs – I would be trying to chat her up.
Basic but it’s true.
General Leah commanded the Army over an almost unprecedented era of expansion of troops,roles and deployments and he is leaves it in good shape and I for on, wish him well in the future.