Female amputees make clear that all troops are on front lines

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-04-28-female-amputees-combat_x.htm

Lt. Dawn Halfaker lost her right arm to a rocket propelled-grenade attack in Iraq, 'Women in combat is not really an issue,' she says. 'It is happening.'

WASHINGTON — On June 19, Lt. Dawn Halfaker and soldiers from her military police platoon were on a reconnaissance patrol in Baqouba, Iraq, when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded inside their armored Humvee, grievously wounding two of the soldiers inside.

Dazed and covered in blood, Halfaker mustered the energy to give an order to her driver. "Get out of the kill zone!" she shouted. Halfaker's right arm was loosely connected to her torso.

In the front passenger seat, Staff Sgt. Norberto Lara was in worse shape. His right arm, Halfaker remembers, was severed, a devastating but not mortal wound.

Six days later, Halfaker was a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here, about to lose her arm to a life-threatening infection. Today, as she completes her rehabilitation, Halfaker is considering several job offers in Washington and planning to attend graduate school at Georgetown University after leaving the Army.

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[Up2Late]

1. So sad

I wish her well:patriot: :cry:

[leftofcool]

2. This is sad for her but..............

not all of those soldiers returing with partial limbs will have job offers in DC nor will they be attending graduate school at Georgetown. She is ultimately, one of the lucky ones.

Left of Cool

[Love Bug]

3. Does this mean we can pass the ERA now?

The biggest argument against passing the Equal Rights Amendment was that women would be forced to go to combat. Sounds like that is happening anyway, so can we pass the ERA?

[jdj]

4. oh. hell no.

it's a matter of principle. even if we all start packing they aren't gonna legitimize the humanity of women.

[lebkuchen]

5. Remind me. For what cause does America sacrifice women's apendages

willingly?

[Solly Mack]

6. and how long did it take the press to show this?