What if you have 3 testicles? Does that put you in the fast track for promotions in the military?

Weird.

So let me get this straight ... The Commander in Chief of our military can be a complete nut-less wonder, but if just ONE of yours 'nads hasn't descended into your sack, you can't enlist to help him invade and occupy? Watch for nut-removal surgery rates to SURGE.

With regards to unusually heavy menstural bleeding, that condition can actually be a problem during extended operations in areas with poor sanitation and poor logistical support. A woman who is unable to regularly change out her feminine hygiene products is running a serious risk to her health. There may be a good reason the Army is looking at that one.

"If combat means living in a ditch, females have biological problems staying in a ditch for thirty days because they get infections and they don't have upper body strength. I mean, some do, but they're relatively rare. On the other hand, men are basically little piglets, you drop them in the ditch, they roll around in it, doesn't matter, you know. These things are very real. On the other hand, if combat means being on an Aegis-class cruiser managing the computer controls for twelve ships and their rockets, a female may be again dramatically better than a male who gets very, very frustrated sitting in a chair all the time because males are biologically driven to go out and hunt giraffes."

~ Newt Gingrich

Now that's a real kick in the balls.

Speaking as a guy who served with, commanded, and was commanded by women throughout my twelve year career in the US Army, I can tell you that excessive menstural flow in field settings is not a joke. When I was a platoon leader I actually had to add female sanitary items add to the list of PCC/PCI items in my female soldiers' rucksacks. Fortunately my female squad leaders were already running that check on an informal basis, but it had never even occured to my male squad leaders. Not long after I made that change, we got a female first sergeant and a female commander who made sure that male squad leaders and platoon sergeants were paying attention to ensuring female soldiers were carrying enough hygiene products to last out the field problems.

It's a no-shit issue at the tactical level.

It's a good thing the army doesn't test your testes during or shortly after combat because I'm pretty sure that the lumps everyone feels in their throat are the balls you thought you had hanging before the fight began.

"As Obsidian Wings puts it"

Actually, as Hilzoy puts it at Obsidian Wings.

ObWi being a group blog of people with differing views, it's not so helpful to not identify the actual writer.

As a former soldier I can attest to the strength and determination of the females who serve in our (Australian) military. Having been the platoon member who has been frequently tasked to "retrieve and secure the honey-pot" on operations, I can honestly say that female hygiene requirements are not fundamentally different from us men. Stop being critical of females in the military. I've served alongside many talented and devoted women who have earned the right to serve. Why aren't the shortcomings of serving male soldiers' highlighted for a change? Most of the blokes I served with would drink themselves stupid and end up in all sorts of predicaments, legally, morally and ethically. By and large, having women in the ranks was good for both morale and work efficiency. Ignore the bullshit artist's and keep up the good work, ladies. Cheers.

I know of quite a few individuals that have told me about their single testicle, I've served with them in Iraq. I'm pretty sure this, though it may be true, is not enforced.

Ah yes - genetic screening. Sounds familiar. There was a political party in the 40's that was doing quite a lot of genetic screening as I recall. The Nazis. And now the US is doing this...? Why doesn't that surprise me?