I'm torn. I do understand what others are saying. I'm a civilian, have no idea what's is like in the field other than what my dad, grandparents, etc have told me of their tours (Vietnam and WWII). My dad was an Army medic, enlisted, served 4 tours in Vietnam. Needless to say, he didn't much like it there. Grandpa flew B-17s, did 32 missions.
My DD is a candidate for c/o of 2020 at USNA. She's been aiming for EOD since she was in her early teens, very well aware of the standards and has been working on them ever since. At first she couldn't do a single pull up. Asked for a pull up bar for her 14th birthday (DH installed one in her room, alongside the 80lb boxing bag). Now she's 17 yrs and can do 11 good ones, maybe 15 "ok" ones. Pull ups were her one weakness, and she's worked hard to improve Every. Single. Day. She's aiming for the Academy so that she'll have 4 years of more training, with the best of the best, before BUDS.
She's also currently a Sea Cadet, did the FOPS training last summer. First day, the do a PFA/whatever assessment (not sure what it's called there), she came in 2nd place, and they put her on the elite team (the highest 12 made elite). She was the only female to make elite. Only problem was, they'd be rucking the whole week, sleeping in trenches. They couldn't allow her to be the only female cadet on the team....so they put another girl on the team that slowed everyone down (and that made DD quite angry lol). Granted, these are teenage kids/minors, there are rules the leaders must follow because they're minors. But my DD did NOT want any special considerations because of her gender. Btw, she made corps man for the training duration, carried 75lbs ruck for the week, and they were constantly ambushed by the Marines - and she won the Hard Charger award
Now SEALS is opening to women, and that's what she's aiming for. She's been boxing, running, swimming, etc, like crazy - all while making great grades - because she knows if she is a graduate of USNA she's got exactly one shot at BUDS because they don't recycle officers.
You can't just be a D1 sport superstar. And you cant be just an academic superstar. You've got to have it all.
I'm all for letting women have the chance - with zero double standards, and with no special considerations (such as putting another female in there just because they need to have 2, etc). If the women can compete, and want the chance at BUDS or Ranger school I just don't see what the problem is. Let them try.
Will my DD make it? I don't know, but I do know she's as capable as any man and wants the same opportunity to try. She's tenacious enough, has the smarts, determination and mental drive, and frankly she has the balls.
Women will fail at it, and women will also be great at it. Same as men.