Women will be first to graduate from Marine Corps infantry training course

[ChuckH]

http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/1...rse/?hpt=hp_t2

12:44 PM ET


Women will be first to graduate from Marine Corps infantry training course

WASHINGTON (CNN) - This year, for the first time in the history of the Marine Corps, the graduation class at its infantry training course will include women.


Fifteen women voluntarily began the training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, on September 24. On Thursday, three of them will graduate from the course, a milestone for women seeking equality in the Armed Forces, according to Capt. Maureen Krebs, a Marine Corps spokeswoman.


A fourth woman finished the course, but was injured and couldn't pass the required combat fitness test. She will be allowed to graduate once she heals and passes that test.


The women went through the same physically grueling exercises as the male Marines, including carry 90 pounds of combat gear on a 12.5-mile march, Krebs said.


They also had to perform three pull ups, just as the men did. For ordinary Marine Corps physical fitness tests, women can choose either the pull up or something called a "flew arm hang."


This is part of Marine Corps research regarding the capability of women to serve in infantry units. Since last year, 10 women officers have entered Marine infantry officer training at Marine Base Quantico, Virginia. So far none of the officers have completed that course.


However, the women who passed the enlisted course will not join infantry units. They instead will be sent to non-combat jobs throughout the Corps.


Their 59 days of arduous work will instead become part of the Marine Corps ongoing research into the possibility of having women serve in combat.

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[Mongoose]

If a WM can walk the walk.....wouldn't bother me to have her covering my back. In Nam, even the new fng's had to prove theirself, just like I did when I hooked up with my unit.

[crazymjb]

I have my own thoughts on the practicality of utilizing women as a front line force, or even in some forward support roles, but the Marine Corps never asked what I thought.

That said, I personally would have no issue working with women as long as they could pull their weight. Unfortunately there is a degree of immaturity and poor moral character which is reflected in military sexual assault statistics that I know rears its head in every unit in which women are integrated. This is not to place any blame on women, but its unfortunately still a fact of having women in the American military. Who knows, maybe it would be better in the infantry. In my experience we conduct ourselves more professionally and take ourselves more seriously than some other non-infantry companies I have worked with... this is of course totally anecdotal.

Good on these women for having the balls to step up and be the first graduates of ITB. I think the best thing we could do is make a FET MOS and have ITB be a requirement.

Mike

[Tennessee Top]

Never graduated from ITB and never been in combat so who am I to judge. Will just keep my opinions to myself as far as women in combat. However, you can't deny anyone creating Marine Corps history has not accomplished something meaningful and should be viewed in a positive light (if any of us made history we would sure expect to be recognized for it). We're still waiting for the first female to graduate from the Infantry Officer's Course but it will happen eventually and that too will be history.

[Changster]

Good on ya Marine! We all have served with Marines in both categories of above and below average. I am proud of these women Marines who went through the training and made it. Now, the next step is to meet the same overall standards as the men without compromise (pft, h/w, etc). I'm just saying....if you want to be treated fairly as we all deserve, we should all meet the same standards (without lowering them). As far as women in combat goes....we're all trained to be riflemen....how many countries right now have an integrated combat force?

[Juicemang]

how many countries right now have an integrated combat force?

Only Israel, AFAIK.

[Tennessee Top]

Beginning Jan 1st, pullups replace the dead-arm hang for the female PFT - they have to do at least 3 just like males. They also have to pass the CFT - just like males.

[Rocky C]

Same Marine Corps, same set of rules.
Shouldn't be any other way.
Congrats to those that pass muster...

[MAD MAN]

Hey Top they gave them more time for Flexed arm hang a new deadline is in the works. But that dose not discredit what they did at school. I've heard opinions on both sides though.

[Tennessee Top]

Opinions are like...well, you know.

My niece ships to PI tomorrow. She maxes out on the hang and can do more than 3 pull-ups already so she's good-to-go either way (has been a personal trainer at LA Fitness for the past year). Her knowledge is good-to-go, knows how to march (can lean back-n-strut), all the facing movements, has a tight salute/knows how to give an appropriate greeting, and can make a tight USMC rack. Believe she's ready.

[Kegler300]

Hard as nails ... and I'm not talking about fingernails ...