Spec Ops Needs a Few Good Women

 

The Army Special Operations Command is looking for female Soldiers to join "Female Engagement Teams" to help units in their dealings with female locals while operating in Afghan villages. An official message transmitted on Feb. 8 stated that "currently the US Special Operations community has very few trained female Soldiers, which limits ARSOF ability to connect and collaborate with this critical part of the Afghanistan society."

 

"There's a need for female engagement downrange," said Master Sgt. Eric Hendrix of Army Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, N.C. "When we go into the villages, we have to deal with the women there. We need to be culturally sensitive, and the need arose for us to have specially trained females who would go with our special operators for that purpose."

 

While the male Soldiers engage the elders -- all men -- about the needs of the village, the Female Engagement Team Soldiers will ask the women about their own medical or domestic needs, he said.

 

The opportunity for women Soldiers to serve with Special Ops teams comes as an Army commission prepares to officially recommend that women be permitted to serve in combat units. The nonpartisan Military Leadership Diversity Commission evaluates Pentagon policies to make sure they promote equal opportunities for all Soldiers.

 

Women selected to be FET Soldiers will not go through infantry or Special Forces training and will not be awarded a combat arms MOS.

 

Hendrix said Special Ops teams have had female Soldiers with them in the past to pat down Afghan women for weapons if necessary, but FET Soldiers will have an expanded role. They will have to understand enough Pashto and Dari and local culture to connect meaningfully with the locals, he said.

 

Although Army units have been utilizing female Soldiers for some time as part of civil affairs teams and for civilian searches, the Army got the idea for FETs from the Marine Corps after it set the teams up two years ago, according to Hendrix. "I think formalizing the Female Engagement Team for use in Special Operations isn't too much of a stretch from that's been going on in the conventional forces," he added.

 

Though the Army's FETs will consider women Soldiers -- NCOs and junior officers -- from any MOS, they are especially interested in those from healthcare career fields, including nurse midwife (66G8D), as well as military police and military intelligence, according to the perquisites and requirements detailed on the on the Army Special Operations Command website.

 

FET Soldiers must be able to carry 35 pounds -- including ruck, helmet, weapon and water -- for six miles in an hour and 39 minutes. Pre-deployment training will last four to six weeks at Fort Bragg and will include both classroom work and field exercises. FET Soldiers will also have to be familiar with the M4 assault rifle and the M9 pistol, which they will be issued and carry when in theater and on missions, according to the guidance.

 

Those who make the cut will be attached to 3rd Special Forces Group or the 7th Ranger Regiment.

 

The total commitment to the program is about one year, including the training.

 

Right now, the command is advertising the openings and accepting applications. Training at Fort Bragg is slated to begin in June, with the first deployments beginning this August.