Hey Mack,
As far as a guy impressing her, I would say she summed it up in the caption under the pic. Having flown combat missions as a woman, working in a 99% man environment I don't think the macho-manly-man type would work for her. I've seen it with women that worked for me in the USAF. I would think any man that she is with that could completely remove her from that environment and take her mind off of the killing and gunsmoke and concentrate entirely on her wants and desires would win her hand. After babysitting all that firepower for a 10 hour mission I would think the last thing she would want is to go to the range and watch some macho chismo dude shoot a popgun at a paper target. But that's just me, any females feel free to knock me or correct me. I've been married 37 yrs and can take it.
As far as the combat role; Well, Mack, I heard a Major General once sum it up: When we came to this great frontier called America, our women had to be tough and quite often fight like a man. It was accepted back then purely as a means of survival. Then our women evolved into a period of wanting to be just that..women. They wanted homes and families and the security of having a husband that would look out for them and protect them and give them the nicer things in life.
Then came Womens Lib and all that. Women wanted equality on all fronts, even to be able to fight shoulder to shoulder in combat with G.I. Joe. That, unfortunately for women is something the men in this world (including the decision makers in the Military and the Pentagon have always been reluctant to accept.) Men just find it hard to accept that their daughter or wife will be pulling out at O dark thirty on a combat mission from which they may never return. It takes all that men have been for centuries away from them..The Protector, the Guardian suddenly don't exist any more. Most men have a hard time with that. After 20 years in the Military I would still find it hard to send my Wife or Daughter into combat.
As far as medals, the USAF has numerous medals the same as any other Corps. From the CMOH all the way down to the good conduct medal.
It will eventually happen. We see it in the movies and it is becoming more accepted. Women flying transport aircraft and eventually crew members on Gunships is a definite beginning. It will happen; but it will be a slow process.
My opinion is: Ladies, if it feels good, do it!
