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Local Retired Army Captain Talks About Women in Combat

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) -- Retired Army Capt. Sean Parnell has a lot to say about women in combat.

His New York Times best-selling book, "Outlaw Platoon," is about the gritty real life stories of his platoon as they patrolled the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan, flushing out Taliban members and terrorists -- and more than once he saw men battle and die in combat.

KDKA-AM's Larry and John talk to Capt. Parnell about what he thinks of the military allowing women in combat.

While he believes everyone should have the right to choose how they serve, he questions whether women are able to handle the stresses of combat.

"If they meet the qualifications for infantry, give them a shot," says Capt. Parnell. "But, you want the best person in the foxhole next to you. They have to adhere to the same rigorous physical training standards that the men have."

Capt. Parnell also talked about the emotions of close combat, pregnancies and whether a woman could drag an injured man out of a combat situation.

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