Letting Women Reach Women in Afghan War

[lafinjack]

The Marines in a recent “cultural awareness” class scribbled careful notes as the instructor coached them on do’s and don’ts when talking to villagers in Afghanistan: Don’t start by firing off questions, do break the ice by playing with the children, don’t let your interpreter hijack the conversation

Comments

[pyaar_ishq]

Well this is definitely a good step! I know it's been happening, but it is nice to hear an interest in things like talking, listening, and doing (such as the irrigation example they gave) instead of just drone-bombing the shit out of any area with a heat signature... Good luck to the marines on this mission!

[rationalflake]

OT but you forgot mohabbat ;)

[pyaar_ishq]

:D Too long for an LJ name!

[erunamiryene]

This is such a great idea. If I was still in and knew I'd be deploying, I would volunteer for something like this.

“Every Marine wants to go outside the wire,” said Cpl. Michele Greco-Lucchina, 22, referring to assignments off the base. “We all join for different reasons, but that’s the basis for being a Marine.”

Um, no. Plz to stop drinking the chow hall kool-aid. That whole "you're only a real Marine if you're in combat" bullshit is something I expect from dumbass grunts who rag on everyone who's not in the infantry, not females who should know better, sorry.

[romp]

thanks for giving your take on it :)

[lizey]

'something I expect from dumbass grunts who rag on everyone who's not in the infantry, not females who should know better, sorry.'

She's 22, and it sounds like she might not have been deployed before (they said half of them hadn't). Hopefully she'll learn better.

[erunamiryene]

Possibly. We'll see. I've found that people who tend to buy into the bullshit early will generally hang onto it like it's cool, and Marines really do have a tendency to believe overmuch in their own hype.

Not to mention, it shouldn't take getting shot at to understand that people behind desks ALSO make the Corps run, cause they, you know, get your paychecks paid, run your awards, process your leave time, make sure you have your card for the chow hall, keep your computer running, process your orders, etc, etc, etc.

[caerfrli]

It's a great thing but is that really their job as Marines?

[foofighter0234]

This is a great thing.

[watchsnowfall]

Deja vu, this has definitely been posted before (part of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s).

That aside, still a good idea, I wonder if this will eventually lead to officially opening up combat roles to women.

[lafinjack]

It's an old article, but I did a search and it didn't come up.

[watchsnowfall]

meh, I probably just read it on my own then. Sorry!

[lafinjack]

YOU WILL BE SORRY