More evidence that women shouldn't be in combat...

I have no problem with women being in the armed forces...just not in combat. Here's a report from the UK.

The Army is abandoning mixed-sex training units because too many female recruits are getting injured trying to keep up with their male counterparts.

From next April, women will be placed in their own platoons and although the training regime will remain the same, it will be conducted at a pace 'sustainable and commensurate with their physical profile'.

Army chiefs hope the changes will greatly reduce drop-out rates among women after research showed female recruits are up to nine times more likely than men to be discharged through a training-related injury.

Dr James Bilzon, the Army Training and Recruitment Agency's senior scientific adviser, found that women are getting hurt as they try to match men in arduous drills and marches wearing full combat gear.

His research showed that, in general, women are less able to cope with the sudden introduction to the exhausting exercise regime demanded by the Army.

The most common complaints are stress fractures to the shin and thigh bones, and pelvic injuries caused by attempting to keep up with the longer stride patterns of men.

'Men are stronger and more robust and it's silly to pretend otherwise'

Dr Bilzon said: "There is a high incidence of training-induced overuse injuries and associated medical discharges among trainees with lower levels of aerobic fitness, particularly females."

He added: "Female recruits are three-to-four times more likely than males to be medically discharged with a training injury, a figure which may be as high as nine times in some training units.