Rules of engagement
Oct. 19th, 2001 11:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
109Department of the Army.
The Pentagon.
DISPOSITION FORM: Harassment of Female Enemy Soldiers.
To: All Training Command Instructors.
1. Yesterday's DF strictly outlawing sexual harassment of our female soldiers neglected to include guidance in the handling of trainees' questions about the treatment of female enemy soldiers. Correction is made herewith.
2. Enemy soldiers whether male or female are to be treated exactly the same. The rules of engagement apply uniformly. However, there are certain exceptions in the case of female enemy soldiers.
A. While it may be permissible to shout disparaging remarks at male enemy soldiers, certain restrictions apply to female enemy soldiers. It is OK in the heat of the battle, hand-to-hand combat or bayonet charges, to insult a male enemy soldier by a reference to his homeland, for example, "You big dumb Slobovian". But commanders should discourage insults with gender references: "You big dumb Slobovian cow". Cows are necessary female, and the reference can have little basis in national disputes.
B. C <...>
D. No harassing comments are permitted against female enemy soldiers which correlate failure or lack of proficiency to gender alone or gender primarily. In the Gulf War, several British troops were reported shouting "You shoot like a girl" at Republican Guard soldiers. While this approach dives Iraqi troops blind with rage, it also infuriated and demoralized many Ameican female troops who overheard. Several broke down in tears, and one officer resigned her commission.
E. American troops even under fire are to remain gender neutral. Provocation by female enemy troops, even if inclusive of specific gender-based references, should be replied in a calm manner, avoiding countervailing specificities. Taunts of "Men are pigs", e.g., should be turned aside by a cool-headed reply such as, "No, they are not". A steady stream of machine-gun fire should accompany this.
F. In the heat of the battle tempers may flare to a degree that will be regretted later. This has always has been true of war. However, no excuses will be accepted for gender-based field tactics. Company grade officers shall not single out female-manned defensive positions in preference to male-manned. Male-manned positions and female-manned positions are to receive exactly the same amount of organic weapon fire. Artillery coordinates shall be reported on an equal basis. If this is not possible, the coordinates shall be in between male and female positions so that arriving shells deliver equal srapnel to both sides. See new Field Artillery Aiming Tables. DA Pub. 7873td7/2.
The Pentagon.
DISPOSITION FORM: Harassment of Female Enemy Soldiers.
To: All Training Command Instructors.
1. Yesterday's DF strictly outlawing sexual harassment of our female soldiers neglected to include guidance in the handling of trainees' questions about the treatment of female enemy soldiers. Correction is made herewith.
2. Enemy soldiers whether male or female are to be treated exactly the same. The rules of engagement apply uniformly. However, there are certain exceptions in the case of female enemy soldiers.
A. While it may be permissible to shout disparaging remarks at male enemy soldiers, certain restrictions apply to female enemy soldiers. It is OK in the heat of the battle, hand-to-hand combat or bayonet charges, to insult a male enemy soldier by a reference to his homeland, for example, "You big dumb Slobovian". But commanders should discourage insults with gender references: "You big dumb Slobovian cow". Cows are necessary female, and the reference can have little basis in national disputes.
B. C <...>
D. No harassing comments are permitted against female enemy soldiers which correlate failure or lack of proficiency to gender alone or gender primarily. In the Gulf War, several British troops were reported shouting "You shoot like a girl" at Republican Guard soldiers. While this approach dives Iraqi troops blind with rage, it also infuriated and demoralized many Ameican female troops who overheard. Several broke down in tears, and one officer resigned her commission.
E. American troops even under fire are to remain gender neutral. Provocation by female enemy troops, even if inclusive of specific gender-based references, should be replied in a calm manner, avoiding countervailing specificities. Taunts of "Men are pigs", e.g., should be turned aside by a cool-headed reply such as, "No, they are not". A steady stream of machine-gun fire should accompany this.
F. In the heat of the battle tempers may flare to a degree that will be regretted later. This has always has been true of war. However, no excuses will be accepted for gender-based field tactics. Company grade officers shall not single out female-manned defensive positions in preference to male-manned. Male-manned positions and female-manned positions are to receive exactly the same amount of organic weapon fire. Artillery coordinates shall be reported on an equal basis. If this is not possible, the coordinates shall be in between male and female positions so that arriving shells deliver equal srapnel to both sides. See new Field Artillery Aiming Tables. DA Pub. 7873td7/2.