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by gruseom
5781 days ago
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Well since this is HN, let's agree on a way to decide the matter objectively. If you can find historical usages of the phrase "combat troops" (as distinct from just "troops") that are devoid of the political implication I mentioned, I'll agree that the phrase is a factual one. I'm finding it hard to establish similar criteria for "withdrawal", however, because there are so many misleading usages of that word in the media right now. I just saw "US Withdraws From Iraq" as a headline in Google News a few minutes ago. Although the transitive usage of this verb can correctly describe a partial drawdown (as in "he withdrew part of his objection"), the intransitive usage cannot. This is a fact. It's also exactly the sort of thing Orwell was writing about. Also, Garbage. I hesitated to make my original comment and double-hesitated to respond to this, but I'm giving it a try because I know you're a good commenter in general. I think a serious discussion of this topic would be interesting. It may be impossible, though, even here. If we can't discuss this civilly, let's bail. |
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The US Army has traditionally been composed of a number of branches, see this Wikipedia list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Army#Branch_Establishment
The major combat branches are Infantry, Artillery and Armor (originally Cavalry). Women cannot serve in these and other related front line combat branches, e.g. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_military.
Note for example that Sgt Leigh Ann Hester, the first woman to earn a Silver Star for "direct participation in combat", was a member of a MP company escorting a supply convoy. That woman who was captured and then rescued in the hotter part of the war was a member of a successfully ambushed supply convoy.
Also go back to that first Wikipedia page and look for where combat vs. support is used to describe. E.g. in the context of the new standardized combat brigade system (Heavy (mechanized infantry or tank), Stryker (wheeled death traps in the wrong terrain) and Infantry (light infantry or airborne)):
"In addition, there will be combat support and service support modular brigades. Combat support brigades include Aviation brigades, which will come in heavy and light varieties, Fires (artillery) brigades, and Battlefield Surveillance Brigades. Combat service support brigades include Sustainment brigades and come in several varieties and serve the standard support role in an army."