The Kinder, Gentler Military: Can Americas Gender-Neutral Fighting Force Still Win Wars?
This new book, which could aptly be called the latest salvo in the culture war to shape the future of the U.S. military, holds no surprises. As might be inferred from the title, the author believes that the armed forces have made far too many concessions to political correctness in order to attract and retain women in uniform. In her view, the concessions have resulted in lowered standards that have inevitably reduced the combat effectiveness of the military. Readers who agree will find the book well written, easy to read, and full of numerous examples illustrating the degree to which political correctness has been carried within the armed forces. The only complaints that such readers might have are that it really covers no new ground and that the lack of footnotes makes it difficult to follow up on the material. The book advances the cause of those resisting what they call the “feminization” of the military in one way only: because it is written by a woman, critics cannot simply dismi
