I know that Mr. Brown has not fully researched the topic he is trying to address in the least. I think that an NIU alumnus capable of using words that are outside this dumb primate’s vocabulary should at least have his facts straight.

First of all, the individuals who are the least familiar with the United States military know that the weapon that is used is the M-16 not the AR-15. I also feel that the majority of the men and women outside of the military do not know what it feels like to have to carry or hump, as we primates like to call it, a rucksack and equipment into combat that weighs a total of 100 pounds.

Now, even in today’s modern army the infantry still marches on its feet, and this is what the real argument is about. I know that Ms. Dobrzyski said all you needed was your M-16. I would like to see her in the infantry facing a T-80 tank with only an M-16 in her hand. I am quite sure she would like at least a few grenades and maybe even a few missiles. Ask any infantryman who went to Iraq, Panama or Grenada how much equipment he carried, and I am sure he will be willing to tell you that it was at least 100 pounds.

Now I know that females are the equals of males. I also do not have a problem with them fulfilling other missions such as flying attack helicopters, fighters or any other field that is not as physically demanding. Let me put it this way, if you take the average 160 pound male and put let’s say 80 pounds on his back he is now carrying approximately half his body weight.

Now let’s take the average 110 pound female and put 80 pounds on her back. Now it does not take a math major to figure out that the male is carrying only half of his body weight while the female is carrying close to 80 percent of her body weight.

Try and walk around campus carrying that kind of weight and you will find out that it is not that easy, and the majority of females could not walk 20 miles like that. Yes, some could. However, you now have a logistical nightmare if you have only one female in your platoon. Not even in a wartime situation, but peacetime. It just is not possible. It is like giving each soldier a different caliber rifle, and then trying to make sure each of them have ammunition—it just doesn’t work.

One other thing, Mr. Brown should also get his facts straight about My Lai and the Viet Nam War. Ninety-nine percent of our soldiers never participated in any atrocities such as that. Why doesn’t he go ask a Viet Nam veteran? Perhaps he has watched too many movies that treat the American soldier as everyone would like to see him: as a dumb unthinking primate. Maybe he should go to basic training, AIT, Ranger school, pathfinder school or air assault school and see just how dumb the Army really is.

Christopher J. Cox

Senior

Computer Science