Women in Military Service & Combat (not just USA)

[Stan]

Hi Maggie !

My daughter is 25; when I was her age women had just been admitted to the service academies and this was NOT what I was hearing then, I have at times wondered if things had changed at all for my daughter's future. My son is 29, when he was 18 he was accepted into the Officer's Candidate pool for the Naval Academy. While he did not ultimately get an appointment he did spend a weekend at the Academy during the application process. I watched as the female naval officers there shook the hands of female candidates--but not the male candidates. I hope your sentiments and those of kehenry1 are becoming the norm, not the exception.

Maggie

All I have to go on is my 23 years in the Army, and we never had problems shaking hands with collegues, male or female. That was some time ago, but I haven't noticed any serious changes.

Oddly enough, there's some Navy folklore regarding males and females shaking hands (the old man was Navy til death....that's why I went Army ):

Shake Hands With Women - According to old Naval etiquette, a man should never extend his hand to a woman first. A smile and a nod will do. If she wants to shake, a gentleman takes her hand as if to kiss it and shakes it by holding it (not gripping it).

Hmmm, I kinda like that just a smigin

Honestly, I have no idea what happened at the Naval Academy. Perhaps just graduates separating themselves from the pledges, male or female.

[Maggie]

Hi Maggie !

All I have to go on is my 23 years in the Army, and we never had problems shaking hands with collegues, male or female. That was some time ago, but I haven't noticed any serious changes.

Hiya! My dad was a very young and very proud sailor in WWII, but he was disappointed too Two of us did Civil Air Patrol instead of Sea Scouts and a third joined the AF!

Honestly, I have no idea what happened at the Naval Academy. Perhaps just graduates separating themselves from the pledges, male or female.

No, unfortunately. These were officers manning (so to speak) the check-in line where the applicants were picking up their papers before heading out with their midshipman hosts for the weekend. Such distinctions either way irritate me no end and only the thought of how my son would disown me if I made a scene kept me from saying something The male officers behind the table shook everyone's hand, the females only the female candidates.

Btw--at one time women were considered bad luck aboard a ship at all, never mind what how one is supposed to shake hands (or not)...

Maggie