RAF chief: Women will help ‘hearts and minds’

WOMEN will make fighting units stronger because of their “emotional intelligence”, the RAF’S head of recruiting has said.

Yesterday the RAF became the first military service to open all roles to men and women after the lifting of a Government ban on females in close combat roles.

They can now apply to join the RAF’S ground-fighting force, which protects bases and airfields and has previously sustained casualties in Afghanistan.

Group captain Wendy Rothery, head of RAF recruiting and selection, told The Daily Telegraph that the change strengthens the force. “Combat is a very human thing,” she said.

“Women bring a different perspective, a different style of leadership … we’ve seen that in other roles in the Royal Air Force that we’ve introduced women into. Emotional intelligence would be one aspect of that.”

Richard Langley, chief of staff of the protection force, said women would help units engage better with the communities and that could prevent attacks on bases.

“Our job is to protect the Royal Air Force; that means getting out into the villages, and the streets,” he said.

“That means actually connecting with the local population, really getting through with the hearts and minds.”

But a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan was strongly opposed. Colonel Richard Kemp told the BBC that tough training would put too much strain on the female physique.

There are 11 women who have been waiting for the change to come into force before they could apply to join. Women currently make up 10 per cent of the RAF.