Nahncee,
For the most part, training in the Navy does not specifically ensure that people are able to handle the physical aspects of those unlikely-to-occur, highly stressful, very physically demanding potential situations. My assumption is that there was an underlying assumption that people would be able to handle those situations. I don’t know about other services, but I am making an educated guess that it applies to them as well. (That does not apply to all of the sub-groups within the military.) I do not believe that the assumption applies to the great majority of women; certainly there are some who would be able to handle those situations, but the military does not make them meet those requirements. If they did, not enough women would get in, which does not sit well with the PC media/liberal politicians/etc.

My experience with women in the military was generally very positive (same as with the men) – some great, some average, some bad. During my tour as an instructor pilot, I had three female students (for varying numbers of flights). One was above average, one was average, and one was below average. So basically the same as the male students. One of the best chiefs I ever had work for me (the chiefs would probably dispute who worked for who!) was female – I would put her up against any of the others when it came to running a shop. But I wouldn’t want her being the one trying to carry me offthe flight deck after a missile hit the carrier.

BTW, my wife (who is blond, and very attractive) served an enlistment in the Navy prior to going to nursing school (which is when we met) and she agrees with me on this subject.