Right: A US army soldier does push-ups in a test of physical fitness. Although some American units make a few allowances for smaller frames and less muscle, women in combat roles face the same challenges as their male colleagues.
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Further implications
It is likely that in terms of the composition of Australian Defence Force operational units, the recently announced reforms opening all positions to suitable women candidates will make little difference.
Retired chief of army Peter Leahy, who supports women in direct combat roles so long as rigorous selection criteria are applied, believes that very few women will actually make the grade as they will not be able to meet the physical demands.
Leahy has stated, 'I support it in principle and practice as long as that practice means that the tests are robust and proper and have been scientifically developed so that whoever passes them - male or female - can do the job. That could mean being able to carry a wounded fully-laden soldier, weighing more than 100kg, from the battlefield. Informal army studies indicate few women will take up the offer of actual combat.'
Leahy further noted, 'Figures show 2 [per cent] or 3 per cent might be able to meet the physical requirements, and they're busy being Olympic athletes or playing basketball for professional teams.
Certainly in my experience, as I travelled around the army trying to gauge what people were thinking, I didn't find many women who actually wanted to be in the infantry.'
If Leahy is correct, this means that most of the fears of those who oppose the change are over-reactions. There will not be large numbers of women killed in hand to hand combat, simply because there will not be large numbers there in the first place. Women are also unlikely to have much impact on the morale of combat units because there will be so few of them and those who are there are likely to be demonstrably able to look after themselves.
The significance of the change seems largely symbolic and on this level it is far too early to say what impact it will have. It is intended that the full implementation of these changes will occur over a five year period and whatever effect they are going to have on defence force culture will only begin to be felt after that.
However, if the extent of the negative reaction among a range of unofficial defence spokesmen can be used as a guide, the symbolic value of the change may ultimately be significant. Opponents of the change are indeed speaking as though a citadel has been breached.