Forty female Marines have arrived in Afghanistan with a mission impossible for their male counterparts: connecting with the war-torn country’s women. In groups of twos and threes, they’ve been sent throughout the country, into homes, where over cups of tea they dispense medical help and encourage women to become involved with Afghan society. “We know we can make a difference,” Capt. Emily Naslund told The New York Times. The female marines are not just running into the country’s cultural barriers but also those of the military as male commanders prove reluctant to send the women on some dangerous patrols. However, the men know the impact having women soldiers in their midst can have on the Afghan population. Without them, one said, “It’s just a bunch of guys with rockets and machine guns trying to hand out a bear to a kid, and he starts to cry.”
Female Marines
Filed under Afghanistan, Woman Power
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
In our American culture men are taught to look out for and protect females so these women, who have received the exact same training as their male counterparts, have to overcome that obstacle in order to start their work of relating to Afghan women. They’re women, so I have confidence they will do their jobs well. After all, women are accustomed to working around any and all obstacles and have been doing it successfully for generations.
“Although Afghan women tend to be more reserved than Afghan men, they still have a large influence on their children, Shaffer said, so engaging with them is important.
“If the women know we are here to help them, they will likely pass that on to their children,” she said. “If the children have a positive perspective of alliance forces, they will be less likely to join insurgent groups or participate in insurgent activities.”
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=53416
I’m sure there are some military men who disapprove of women in the military, even tho these brave women have volunteered for service to their country and put their lives on the line, they probably are scorned by some. Seems just some military personnel are worthy of praise and respect. Ya know, those who may be of another sexual persuasion are kicked out instead of being thanked and honored.
The day we can call all human beings willing to serve generic titles like Marines, Soldiers… without any qualifiers like female, gay… will be a proud day for Americans! Just think! Use the strengths and skills of individuals — what a concept!
My son who served with the 3rd Marine Air Wing fire crash and rescue during the early days of the war had a female in his unit. He related she was cut no slack and did her job as well as any male in his unit and that she was universially respected for her skills as a firefighter and as a leader.
The first time I heard about female soldiers going to the Middle East I thought about the impact and over-all influences. Some are the same as when women started being in more roles in Law enforcement and the pitfalls that were faced.
Dealing with a society where women do not play a more assertive role, liken to the Latino societies of Mexico and South American. It was difficult for female officers to get Mexican men to take them serious.
Where as a male officer was shown more respect and compliance, female officers were not receiving the same level of compliance not exactly disrespected more just not taken as serious.
BUT, the up side was that Mexican men were far less likely to fight with them on a physical level.
And often the female could have a reasoned discussion with them males then a male officer could.
Though there was a level of resentment toward females officer telling them what to do.
Likewise in the Middle East and the males prospective on women.
In the Moslem culture and certainly it would be seen as different then they do.
As Fnord mentioned, to them it is the male’s role to protect the female.
Not just from physical harm but the troublesome matters of the world.
That meaning that men are to stop women from thinking about the world as it is such a downer.
There is where a lot of the conflicts come from since women are a part of the world and culture.
No blinded to the troubles and problems so they did naturally think about them.
And since the Moslem men think it is our concepts that are wrong and causing the problems.
They will be resentful of the female military coming in to try to fix what they males in the society do not see as wrong.
Also they will be seeing the females coming in and take on the roles of males as these females are a un-natural creation. Which may allow them to not just treat them as they would a male enemy.
But think if by killing the monster they could protect their women.