What's the big fuss about women fighting wars next to men? This is one of those hot-button issues that has folks lobbing verbal grenades at each other across a vast ideological divide. Though I for one, quite frankly, can't imagine any woman wanting to go to battle, Capt. Barbara A Wilson, USAF (ret.) ventilates my mind on these matters: "Women," she tells me in an exclusive WND interview, "have scalped Indians, clubbed marauders, shot home invaders, led armies, defeated Roman legions, survived Japanese prison camps, wiped out entire American helicopter bases in Vietnam (North Vietnam women soldiers), and on and on throughout history."

Much of the argument against women in combat is "rhetoric, distorted myth, and usually from someone who has never 'been there' or was on combat so long ago they don't realize there is no such thing as a 'front line' anymore. Their arguments are shallow and baseless," contends Capt. Wilson, who runs the outstanding website "Women Veterans: A History of Their Past."

Up-front, let me admit, being in the military on any level never really interested me, despite my being both the daughter and ex-wife of Navy veterans who fought for their country's honor overseas. And, yes, it is a famous family story that by accident, my mother, in an over-zealous bout of house cleaning, threw out a medal my father won, but I don't think that was a political statement on her part. I was the protestor in the family, not she.

"From the American Revolution to Operation Allied Force around Kosovo," Capt. Wilson informs me, "women have served in some way in every conflict. Not that they were legal in the early days. History tells us that 33,000 women served in World War I and almost 500,000 took part in World War II. During the Korean era 120,000 women were in uniform and seven thousand were deployed in theater during Vietnam. During Desert Storm 7 percent of the total U.S. forces deployed were women -- over 40,000 of them."

No, I never wanted to be a general, a foot soldier, or even a flirty chauffeur. If I had to choose, I'd much rather be a foreign correspondent and write about war, or else even sit on the sidelines rolling bandages like a Hemingway heroine.

Speaking of heroines, Capt. Wilson bills her website as a history of women in the military from the Revolutionary War to present day. It provides background about sexual harassment, PTSD, current women veterans issues, and extensive information for military women, past and present, including: "Women in Uniform, Women in War, History of Women in the Military, Women's Recruiting Posters, Military Women in Film, Military Bands, Women Warriors, Military Women and Television, She Served too -- WASPs, Military Women Astronauts, The Mercury 13, Women in Space, military women spies, military women on sheet music, military women pilots, firsts for military women, women prisoners of war, military women musicians."

When I was a little girl, my father worked for the Signal Corps as an electronics engineer, and so I could see 25-cent movies on the base. Attending parade after parade of Army marching bands, I grew up adoring the music of Sousa, which made me feel so patriotic, until I realized I might have radical tendencies, a spy in the house of love. Somehow I was deluded enough to actually grow up believing "Make love, not war." Silly me.

Capt. Barbara Wilson was different. Describing herself as "the skeptical, irascible, doubting, iconoclastic Captain Critical, whose pontificating will try to amuse, bemuse, irritate and generally annoy anyone bold enough to stay long enough to read the random ramblings of a self appointed distaff critic of anything and everything from new age to old age, from god to goddesses, and from here to infinity," she enlisted in the Air Force in the 1950s and became a WAF Squadron Commander, stationed at McGuire Air Force Base, 1965-71; then taught college economics and earned an MBA, and has resided in St. Augustine, Fla., since 1991.

As for myself, I simply cannot imagine being in battle, trained to kill, carrying weapons, having "enemies." I can't even say if I had my own country, "Xena: Warrior Princess" or the movie "Private Benjamin" with Goldie Hawn, or the adventures of "She" or even the exploits of Emma Peel would be required viewing for all male newspaper columnists publicly outspoken against women on the frontlines. We all have our opinions, don't we?

And yet, some women DO want to go to war. And have. "As for my opinion," says Wilson, "The pure and simple point is that all (military) jobs should be open to women and men -- if and only if -- the women and men are qualified, capable, competent, and able to perform them! Missiles, bullets, biological and chemical agents, and anthrax do not distinguish their targets by gender-- both men and women die when these weapons are used. It follows that both men and women will give their lives defending this country, as they have for three centuries.

"To advocate denying them the right to do so because of biology -- using the archaic 'hasty generalization fallacy' is absurd," she continues, adding "Isn't it interesting that the federal government just lost a multi-million-dollar law suit for discriminating against women in USIA hiring for certain jobs -- yet they can still discriminate in the military?"

This " Feminization of the Military lament is something we've been hearing too much about lately," says Capt. Wilson. "This babbling treatise belongs in the 8-track graveyard along with the rest of the 'Archie Bunker' philosophies. ... To advocate denying the equal opportunity education, training and benefits of military service to women, and to hawk the feminization lament as a reason is condemnation without rationalization.

"The armed forces draw their members from our modern society," she goes on. "It follows that the make up of the services must reflect that society from which they are drawn." In her view, feminism is neither catalyst nor motivator behind women volunteering to serve. "Ask the women who served long before feminism was a pop-culture term. Obviously those who espouse a woman-less military also want it to be a plebeian corps with philistine standards. They can't abide women as a part of a skilled modern force trained and equipped to maintain peace worldwide. ..."

As she envisions it, the design of the military of the forthcoming 21st century is "not for a corps of blackguards and thugs led by Attila the Hun. It is for a sleek, intelligent, synergetic group of highly motivated and skillfully trained troops. To advocate excluding our young women from this aspect of our nation's future is tantamount to sedition. Would those feminization prattlers change this motto to: 'Be All You Can Be -- Unless You're a Woman'?"

Sadly, most colleges and universities are "remiss" when it comes to women's military history, Capt. Wilson maintains, recommending Linda Grant DePauw's "Battle Cries and Lullabies" which gives "some great insights to women in war."

Here's Capt. Wilson's "Women Warrior Quiz Challenge," used with her permission. You won't become a millionaire if you get all the answers right, but then again, you might become quiz-show material:

1.What woman commander-in-chief of what army defeated King Cyrus of Persia and when? The Scythian Queen Tomyris, 550 BC.

2. Who was the only woman granted a commission in the Confederate Army? "Captain" Sally Tompkins was the first, and only, woman ever to be commissioned in the Confederate Army. In order to keep her Richmond hospital running Confederate President Jefferson Davis commissioned Sally a captain of cavalry in 1861. When "Captain Sally" died she was buried with full military honors.

3. For what dignitary did Lt. Kelly Flynn pilot a B-52 on a public relations trip? Former Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall

4. What United States Postal Service (USPS) stamps honor military women either individually or collectively? Name the individuals. Five stamps honor military women -- the three individuals are Civil War Surgeon Dr. Mary Walker, Spanish American War Nurse Clara Maas and pioneer pilot and reservist Jacquie Cochran. No stamp honors an individual active duty military woman but two stamps -- 1952 and 1997 -- feature a woman from each branch of service.

5. What Confederate States of America nurse was wounded at the Civil War Battle of Seven Pines and also had her portrait on Confederate money? CSA nurse Juliet Ann Opie Hopkins.

6. What woman ruler and military leader conquered Babylonia and is said to have created The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Semiramis of Assyria, also known as Samauramat, in the 9th century B.C. -- whether or not she created the Hanging Gardens is still controversial, but she did conquer Babylonia.

7. What two stars played Major "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the TV and movie versions of M*A*S*H -- and what does the acronym stand for? Television: Loretta Swit, movie: Sally Kellerman, MASH= Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.

8. Known atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair, whose amendment had prayer removed from schools, was in what branch of service during what war? Army WAAC, WWII, serving overseas as a cryptographer in Italy and North Africa.

9. In the movie "Courage Under Fire" what was Meg Ryan's rank, character name and what was her duty assignment? Capt. Karen Walden, Rescue Helicopter pilot.

10. How was the author of "Little Women," Louisa May Alcott, associated with the military and in what conflict? She was a volunteer Army nurse at the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, D.C., and nursed the wounded from the Battle of Fredericksburg in the Civil War.

11. What do the following acronyms stand for: WAAC, WAC, WAVES, SPARS and WAF and in what years were they disestablished? Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, Women's Army Corps, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, Semper Paratus (Coast Guard) and Women in the Air Force. In 1976-78 the Disestablishment of the WAF, WAC, WAVES, SPARS and Women Marines as separate entities -- full integration of women into their respective services.

12. What ancient woman warrior first used cavalry in battle? Myrene, the Gorgon Amazons Queen, who conquered parts of Syria, Egypt, Phrygia. A description of a North African battle in which she led a cavalry of 30,000 women is believed to be the earliest record of troops riding horses into combat.

14. When were women in the U.S. military finally promoted to star rank and who were the first ones? Not until 1970 were women promoted to admiral/general, and the first were: Army: Brig. Gen. Elizabeth P. Hoisington, 1970. Navy: Rear Adm. Fran McKee, 1976. Marines: Brig. Gen. Margaret A. Brewer, 1978. Air Force: Brig. Gen. Jeanne M. Holm, 1971.

15. What Middle Eastern woman warrior actually defeated the Roman legions on one occasion? Zenobia, who governed Syria from about 250 to 275 AD. Wearing full armor, she led her armies on horseback and during Claudius' reign defeated the Roman legions so decisively that they retreated from much of Asia Minor. Also Mavia, who was Queen of the Bedouin Saracens from 370 to 380 AD, led her troops in defeating a Roman army.

16. For how many years have U.S. women been "officially" in uniform? Only 99 years -- the first official step was the creation of the Army Nurse Corps on Feb. 28, 1901.

17. What did First Lady Rosalyn Carter do for women in the military in 1978? Largely through Rosalyn Carter's efforts, in May of 1978, women were assigned for the first time as part of the White House Honor Guard -- five women, one from each service, were selected.

18. How long have women been military pilots? The Navy, not the Air Force, took the first step -- in 1973 six women won their wings and became the first Naval aviators. The Army followed suit in 1974 and trained female helicopter pilots. The Air Force caught up in 1976 and admitted women to the pilot training program. (The gallant women who flew in WWII as WASPs were not acknowledged to be part of the military until many years later.)

19. What two African women warriors fought to keep the Portuguese out of Africa? Mbande Zinga (Jinga) Queen of Angola, led her largely female army against the Portuguese inflicting many casualties while also conquering nearby kingdoms, enjoining them to become allies to drive the Portuguese out of Africa. Also Llinga, a warrior queen of the Congo armed with ax, bow and sword fought the Portuguese in 1640.

20. What Asian country had female palace guards? The all-female palace guard in 19th century Siam (Thailand) was led by Ma Ying Taphan. Her troops were considered the best trained and most loyal of all the King's soldiers and were never defeated in battle.

21. What woman was known as "the silent member of Lincoln's cabinet" during the Civil War? Anna Ella Carroll of Maryland, who has sometimes been acknowledged as the strategic planner of the Tennessee River Campaign; however, her petition for compensation was turned down -- even though records indicate that both Lincoln and Stanton approved her plan.

22. What Queens actually participated in the Crusades? The most well known is Eleanor of Aquitaine, but Marguerite de Provence, Florine of Denmark Berengaria of Navarre and another Eleanor, Eleanor of Castile, were also active participants in the Crusades.

23. In what campaigns did Queen Isabella, wife of Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen regent of Spain, ride with and command the troops? Isabella I of Castile led her armies into battle early in her reign to protect her succession. Later during the conquest of the Moors, she rode into battle once more -- however she was better known as a genius at both military tactics and supplying armies in the field.

24. Renee O'Connor has played "sidekick" to what fictional woman warrior? Gabrielle on television's "Xena, Warrior Princess."

25. Princess Noor-un-nisa Inayat Khan was a spy in what war and for what country? WWII British working behind the lines in France with the French Resistance -- she was captured and executed by the Germans.

26. What actress/comedienne was overseas in three wars and in what capacity? Martha Raye as both an entertainer and as a nurse in WWII, Korea and several tours in Vietnam.

27. Who were the first two women in space and when? In 1963 Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first Russian woman in space and in 1983 Dr. Sally Ride became the first American woman in orbit.

28. Who were "The Mercury 13"? When NASA began training the Mercury astronauts 13 American women had qualified for astronaut duty. Without warning, and without explanation, in July 1961, NASA cancelled all further testing of women. The "Mercury 13" women were unable to get answers from NASA -- even though these women had all proved to be more than suitable for space flight.

29. Approximately how many women have given their lives in service to this county in major conflicts? Two thousand would be a conservative estimate. Some historical records verify the fact that over 60 women were either mortally wounded or killed at various battles during the Civil War. Twenty-two women died as a result of service in the Spanish American War. In WWI there were 22 deaths among Yeoman (F), 27 Navy Nurses died, several hundred Army Nurses died of disease, two were killed by direct enemy action, and many volunteers with the Red Cross, YMCA, lost their lives. The estimate is well over 500 for WWI. More than 500 military women lost their lives during World War II and 38 WASP pilots died with no military status. Eighteen women didn't survive the Korean Conflict. At least 65 military and civilian women died serving in Vietnam. Sixteen military women lost their lives during Desert Storm and five military women have lost their lives in peacetime while on duty including the East Africa Embassy bombing.

30. How many women have served in the U.S. military? Counting the known women veterans -- nearly 2 million women.

31. (Ego question) who was the first woman in the Air Force to obtain a BA on "Operation Bootstrap" and subsequently become the first enlisted woman to obtain a commission through Officer Training School? The creator of this copyrighted quiz, Captain Barbara A. Wilson, USAF (ret.).

From the beginning of time, nothing was accomplished without women, declares Capt. Wilson, "and nothing has been ignored more than their accomplishments."

Who among us knows this: the Amazons, or the warrior women of the Sauromatae, notes ancient Greek historian and geographer Herodotus were "bound by marriage-law decreeing no girl shall wed till she has killed a man in battle. Sometimes a woman died unmarried at an advanced age, unable in her whole lifetime to reach that (initiatory) goal of man-slaying. And so the Sauromatae continued to observe their ancient customs, frequently hunting on horseback with their husbands, sometimes even unaccompanied; in war taking the field; and dressing identically to the men."

Scary, huh?