Team Lioness
Encyclopedia
"Team Lioness" refers to the women profiled in the documentary indi-film Lioness (film) who served in the 1st Engineer Battalion
, 1st Brigade Combat Team
, 1st Infantry Division at Camp Junction City, Ar Ramadi, Iraq
, between September 2003 and August 2004. This unit of approximately 20 women, forerunners of the now official FETs (Female Engagement Team), went out on missions in Iraq as the first female soldiers directly attached to frontline combat units.
As they were not given combat roles or a combat MOS (Military Occupation Speciality - See: United States military occupation code
) the 1994 "risk rule" policy of banning direct combat positions to females did not apply. The policy and risk-rule still stands, but as the members of Team Lioness and the later FETs are not given a combat MOS or combat mission, they are able to perform their missions without any legal issues—even when these teams are attached to Infantry or other combat units.
The successes of Team Lioness and the later FETs are indisputable, but even though their missions are in secured areas and not in active combat zones or unsecured areas, they are at more risk then US servicewomen in the past. As a result, this is a reason for a higher rate of wounded and dead US servicewomen. More American servicewomen have been killed & wounded resulting from hostile action in the Iraq War than in any other previous war, but this has more to do with the fact that there are more US servicewomen in more MOS and performing more missions than in any previous conflict, rather than just due to the use of the FETs.
While they are attached to front line combat units, they are unable to get full combat training or a combat MOS. As a result, the women are kept away from the active combat zones, along with not being used on combat missions, and are only sent into secured areas, since they would be less prepared and be at greater risk then the combat units they are attached to if they were to be used for the same missions as the combat units they are attached to. Female soldiers and Marines more often refer to themselves as "lionesses" and continue to perform "lioness work" in Iraq and Afghanistan to this day.
However, even though they are kept away from active combat zones and don't handle direct combat missions, the women in the FETs and CSTs (Cultural Support Teams) do get into combat in a conflict such as the ongoing Iraq and Afghanistan operations, because there is no real front line and the fact that insurgents will still attack them. Due to this, the women in FETs and CSTs, along with US servicewomen in general, are in significantly more danger than in previous conflicts.
Within the US Army's Special Operations Command there are women in teams like FETs, but these teams are now called Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) as of June 2011, and are attached to US Army Special Forces and 75th Ranger Regiment units. They perform similar missions to the FETs and are kept away from the combat missions, only to be called in after the area is secure. The Soldiers assigned to the Cultural Support Teams aren't required to endure all the training of a Ranger or Special Forces Soldier, but they do have to learn advanced weapons handling and even fast-roping. Through three separate nine-day assessments so far, the Special Warfare Center and School has about a 50 percent attrition rate. Those who make it go through a six-week training course that teaches the Soldiers regional culture, intelligence gathering and small-unit combat tactics.
In February 2011 FET Soldiers, for US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) at least, were required to be able to carry 35 pounds—including ruck, helmet, weapon and water—for six miles in an hour and 39 minutes. Pre-deployment training will last four to six weeks at Fort Bragg and will include both classroom work and field exercises. FET Soldiers will also have to be familiar with the M4 assault rifle and the M9 pistol, which they will be issued and carry when in theater and on missions, according to the guidance. It is unknown if these requirements are in place within conventional units or if they have been changed for USASOC since February.
1st Engineer Battalion
The 1st Engineer Battalion is one of the oldest and most decorated engineer battalions in the United States Army.-19th century:The battalion's history can be traced back to 15 May 1846 when a company of Miners, Sappers, and Pontoniers was formed at West Point, New York. Alpha Company, 1st Engineer...
, 1st Brigade Combat Team
1st Brigade Combat Team
1st Brigade Combat Team or 1 BCT is a modularized brigade of the United States Army. It may refer to:* 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division * 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division...
, 1st Infantry Division at Camp Junction City, Ar Ramadi, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, between September 2003 and August 2004. This unit of approximately 20 women, forerunners of the now official FETs (Female Engagement Team), went out on missions in Iraq as the first female soldiers directly attached to frontline combat units.
As they were not given combat roles or a combat MOS (Military Occupation Speciality - See: United States military occupation code
United States military occupation code
A United States military occupation code, or a Military Occupational Specialty code , is a nine character code used in the United States Army and United States Marines to identify a specific job. In the U.S. Air Force, a system of Air Force Specialty Codes is used...
) the 1994 "risk rule" policy of banning direct combat positions to females did not apply. The policy and risk-rule still stands, but as the members of Team Lioness and the later FETs are not given a combat MOS or combat mission, they are able to perform their missions without any legal issues—even when these teams are attached to Infantry or other combat units.
The successes of Team Lioness and the later FETs are indisputable, but even though their missions are in secured areas and not in active combat zones or unsecured areas, they are at more risk then US servicewomen in the past. As a result, this is a reason for a higher rate of wounded and dead US servicewomen. More American servicewomen have been killed & wounded resulting from hostile action in the Iraq War than in any other previous war, but this has more to do with the fact that there are more US servicewomen in more MOS and performing more missions than in any previous conflict, rather than just due to the use of the FETs.
While they are attached to front line combat units, they are unable to get full combat training or a combat MOS. As a result, the women are kept away from the active combat zones, along with not being used on combat missions, and are only sent into secured areas, since they would be less prepared and be at greater risk then the combat units they are attached to if they were to be used for the same missions as the combat units they are attached to. Female soldiers and Marines more often refer to themselves as "lionesses" and continue to perform "lioness work" in Iraq and Afghanistan to this day.
However, even though they are kept away from active combat zones and don't handle direct combat missions, the women in the FETs and CSTs (Cultural Support Teams) do get into combat in a conflict such as the ongoing Iraq and Afghanistan operations, because there is no real front line and the fact that insurgents will still attack them. Due to this, the women in FETs and CSTs, along with US servicewomen in general, are in significantly more danger than in previous conflicts.
Within the US Army's Special Operations Command there are women in teams like FETs, but these teams are now called Cultural Support Teams (CSTs) as of June 2011, and are attached to US Army Special Forces and 75th Ranger Regiment units. They perform similar missions to the FETs and are kept away from the combat missions, only to be called in after the area is secure. The Soldiers assigned to the Cultural Support Teams aren't required to endure all the training of a Ranger or Special Forces Soldier, but they do have to learn advanced weapons handling and even fast-roping. Through three separate nine-day assessments so far, the Special Warfare Center and School has about a 50 percent attrition rate. Those who make it go through a six-week training course that teaches the Soldiers regional culture, intelligence gathering and small-unit combat tactics.
In February 2011 FET Soldiers, for US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) at least, were required to be able to carry 35 pounds—including ruck, helmet, weapon and water—for six miles in an hour and 39 minutes. Pre-deployment training will last four to six weeks at Fort Bragg and will include both classroom work and field exercises. FET Soldiers will also have to be familiar with the M4 assault rifle and the M9 pistol, which they will be issued and carry when in theater and on missions, according to the guidance. It is unknown if these requirements are in place within conventional units or if they have been changed for USASOC since February.