RPCNA and women in the military

In 2004, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, among others, jointly issued this statement regarding women in combat:

http://www.pca-mna.org/chaplainministries/PRJCWomen2004.pdf

Reading this document is quite remarkable as it suggests that the primary reason that women should not serve in combat is that they might be carrying a fetus unawares thereby putting that fetus in danger. Also, women are described as being more "vulnerable" though to what it is not exactly clear.

The 1998 RPCNA synod encouraged women considering military service to "take counsel of their Sessions."

This document reinforces the view that women are chiefly to be valued as child-bearers, and that the idea that they indeed might have another vocation, such as serving in the military, is to be questioned. One wonders if Reformed chaplains were advised to counsel men considering military service the dangers of fathering a child unawares. And if the temptations are too great, should men really consider whether to pursue a career in the military?

This document reflects yet again gender essentialism which is breathtaking. One wonders if there is any situation where a man might be warned from certain career choices because they are not suitable or biblical? Or does a man have complete freedom? In this recession, my hunch is that some male breadwinners have lost their jobs, and their wives are the chief source of income. Is this situation unbiblical? Again, I suspect that even if some think that women should not work outside the home, that no session has counseled a family to do otherwise.

Perhaps the RPCNA could take on as a ministry helping those women veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD, rather than stating that their original choice was unbiblical.