If Rick Santorum Thinks Women Can't Handle the Military, He Should Meet These Amazing Women

on February 10, 2012 at 4:16 PM

Poor Rick Santorum. Things were going so well for him. Just this week, the Pennsylvania Senator shocked the nation -- and Mitt Romney -- by sweeping Minnesota, Missouri, and Colorado. He was on his way to a Obama presidential victory. Then he had to go and put his sexist foot in his mouth.

When asked what he thought of the Pentagon's decision to formally open up combat roles to women, Santorum replied with, "[It] could be a very compromising situation, where people naturally may do things that may not be in the interest of the mission because of other types of emotions that are involved."

Hear that, ladies? "Other types of emotions." Like, we might be on our periods one day in battle and start thinking about Steel Magnolias and just start bawling our mascara-ed eyes out.

I'm not even sure what Santorum meant by that statement, but I do know it was a foolish thing to say. And so to counteract the rampant sexism hanging out in the world today, here are five badass military ladies.

Kim Voelz. Kim, who was part of the Army's elite bomb squad, was killed at just 27 years of age while trying to defuse an explosive device. Her husband, Max, also a member of the bomb squad, survived.

Staff Sergeant Kametra Smith. Last year, Sergeant Smith surprised her 4-year-old daughter at school after returning from home from Iraq. Her daughter almost bursts from excitement, and the homecoming is one of the most heart-warming you'll ever see. It always seems to be dads' military homecomings we're privy to on the news and YouTube -- and they're always amazing. But let's not forget about the moms serving our country, too.

Robin Roche-Paull. Author of the book Breastfeeding in Combat Boots, Paull couldn't be more badass. Not only is she a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where she served as an aircraft mechanic, she's a lactation consultant -- and she breastfed her son while on active duty. Talk about dedication -- to her country and her child!

Sgt. LaJuanna Baker and Cpl. Andrea Moreira-Rios. Baker and Moreira-Rios were approached by a midwife in Afghanistan to see if they would help deliver a local baby while they were handing out "hygiene packets" at a local health clinic. Of course, the two women said yes, and the rest is history. Not so sure a man would have been able to deal with something like that.

Florence Green. Just last weekend, Florence Green passed away at the ripe old age of 110. Her claim to fame? She was the last-known World War I veteran. 'Nuff said.

This list is for Rick Santorum. The next time he wants to voice his opinion that women are too fragile and emotional to handle military combat, he should consult it. Hopefully, it will inspire something better than "other types of emotions" to come out.

How amazing are these women? What do you think of Santorum's comment?

Image via CafeLindsay/Flickr

About the author Nicole Fabian-Weber

has the world's most gorgeous dog. It's a fact.

Filed Under: military

Comments (31)

Facebook comment from Diana Smith Nichols Rosaglio

on Feb 10, 2012 at 4:36 PM

As a US Army Veteran, I can say women should never be in a infantry position. And Mr Santorem meant that a male soldier will try to protect the woman due to upbringing and natural instinct to protect a female. Stop the bashing liberal media. Your boring all of us with common sense.

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Nonmember comment from Tammy Johnson

on Feb 10, 2012 at 4:39 PM

Your headline is very misleading and presumptuous. Santorum did not say that women can't handle being in the military. I think you need to go back and re-read his quote that you cited. Why are you assuming that the emotions he's referring to are the womens? You don't think men would act differently in a combat situation if they had to work alongside women?

Nonmember comment from CQ

on Feb 10, 2012 at 4:51 PM

Two previous comments were right on. Leave it alone if you don't know what he really meant.

Nonmember comment from Amanda

on Feb 10, 2012 at 4:56 PM

Nicole Fabian-Weber, why don't you try reading that quote he made again. Not once did he question a woman's ability. Why don't you try getting you facts straight before running your half-informed mouth. Geeze!

Nonmember comment from ArmyFiancee

on Feb 10, 2012 at 4:58 PM

I agree with the above 2 posters. Women def are tough enough to handle grueling roles in the military, and Mr. Santorum does not deny that. I believe that the others on here are correct in saying that he was referring to how men would react.

Nonmember comment from adelina

on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:02 PM

Agree with above posters. This post, while a nice tribute to some women vets, is not reflective of what Mr. Santorum expressed.

Facebook comment from Gina Brooks Batiste

on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:07 PM

Boy did you jump to conclusions on that one. You yourself stated that you don't know what he meant by his statement but then start bashing the man. It didn't sound sexist per say. To me an Army veteran myself, it sounded like he was more concerned with what he himself might perceive as a distraction, that as a man he might be able to see a man react differently to a situation if a woman were involved which might jeopardize the mission, or be worried about possible fraternization which could also possibly jeopardize the mission as well. On the other hand I am not saying I agree with this, I just think this post is bias.

Facebook comment from Megan Escareno

on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:51 PM

I whole-heartily agree with the above comments. Don't try and twist his comments to fit into your narrow view.

on Feb 10, 2012 at 6:04 PM

I admire him more in the fact that he might be protective of women personally. Men still want to do that ya know!

Facebook comment from Laura Garner

on Feb 10, 2012 at 6:08 PM

I think he is right...women on the front line will change the dynamics of how men will operate under pressure. Men are raised to be the providers and protectors of the female species. The media is trying to make it our to be something it isn't. Would you send your mother into a combat zone with your father? He didn't say that women were incompetent or too emotional and unstable to go into a combat environment. Then say we did send our mothers, daughter, sisters, and so fourth to the combat zone, who would raise their children and who would protect them when their mothers came back with PTSD?