Can females be gunners?
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  1. #1

    Can females be gunners?

    Okay so, I know that from reading the book Band of Sisters that a female Marine was a gunner, but very few are. How did she get to become a gunner? Is this very rare? Thank you!


  2. #2
    She put in an application and asked nicely


  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by smoking gunz View Post
    She put in an application and asked nicely
    Haha, The things that make me laugh....


  4. #4
    Marine Free Member PaidinBlood's Avatar
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    Probably have a better chance in the Army...


    Nah I'm just kidding. Obviously we didn't have any females but I did on occasion see supply convoys with hard charging ladies on the gun. The more backwards bigots amongst our ranks were pretty amused when they tried screaming vic/pax counts over the sound of the convoys but I was of course above such immature behavior....

    All joking aside, I guess the best Marine for the job gets it, and if you are in a unit that needs Marines in the turret and you are up to it then you'll get your chance. Spent plenty of time in every position of the truck and honestly turret is overrated. This war is being fought in a fishbowl and the huge battle of conscience between taking lives unnecessarily and protecting your Marines weighs heavily. ROE/EOF SOPs will become second nature or you will find yourself in the brig. Besides that it is dusty and dangerous. Good luck to you-keep on truckin..


  5. #5
    Marine Free Member PaidinBlood's Avatar
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    Take every chance in training, however. Plenty of air up there and no IEDs stateside. Besides there is a Zen-like quality to going to town on an "up-gun". Happiness is a belt-fed weapon!


  6. #6
    On a side not, I remember my Rifle instructor told us that female Marines were far more accurate, statistically on the the range. I don't know if it's true, but I don't doubt it.

    Last edited by richerich; 02-14-09 at 07:54 PM. Reason: PC

  7. #7
    Marine Free Member PaidinBlood's Avatar
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    I've heard the same, and there do seem to be plenty on competition teams. Not knocking anyone, but regardless of gender being a turret gunner (especially lead gunner) has about as much to do with shooting as being a sniper-which is to say not so much as you might think. It is essential to be accurate with your weapon system, but there are so many factors besides trigger pulling...


  8. #8
    The Marine Corps' official stance is females will not be gunners, but in certain units it is allowed. I've known female Marines who acted as gunners for convoy missions, most of them volunteered for the position. I never got to be a gunner, but I sure wanted too- it looked pretty cool.

    Females are generally better shooters than the males. There are two main reasons for this. One, most males have fired some type of rifle sometime in their childhood, and therefore have developed bad habits. And two, females are better with obeying instructions. Most males tend to think they know how to shoot and do not listen to the instructor. This isn't true with all males/females, but it is true in most cases.


  9. #9
    Marine Free Member PaidinBlood's Avatar
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    Possibly but I don't think this is true with MGs. Like I said, never been within 50m of a lady training so don't go calling me a critic...


  10. #10
    I was referring to the standard M16A2 (or M4), not the crew served weapons. But from what I have seen, female Marines are just as good as the male Marines when firing the MGs.


  11. #11
    Marine Free Member PaidinBlood's Avatar
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    Like I said, not here to put anyone down-I'll trust you. While I think VERY few people get enough trigger time to develop bad machine gunning habits prior to service, I will admit that men cannot follow directions.


  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by commdog7 View Post

    Females are generally better shooters than the males. There are two main reasons for this. One, most males have fired some type of rifle sometime in their childhood, and therefore have developed bad habits. And two, females are better with obeying instructions. Most males tend to think they know how to shoot and do not listen to the instructor. This isn't true with all males/females, but it is true in most cases.

    You know, I really have to disagree with this. I hear it all the freaking time but I know alot of female Marines, and I know not a single one with an expert badge from the rifle range. Boot PFCs, SSgts, Gunnys, Lts, it doesnt matter. I've never met one with an expert badge. In fact, the only one I've ever seen was a female SgtMaj on a poster for women's history month at Camp Johnson. For the record, the other 2 female Marines in the poster were marksman. Everyone says they shoot better but I've never seen it...


  13. #13
    Marine Free Member Quinbo's Avatar
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    I was witness to General Krulak promoting a female Lcpl to Cpl on the spot after she shot a possible from the 600 during the interservice rifle matches. She was already a distinguished marksman.

    When I read the title of this thread I thought it was gonna be about the gunners with a bursting bomb on one collar. I'm not sure but I don't think there has ever been one.


  14. #14
    Thank you very much. So the female Marine in my book was just probably a volunteer and not a full time gunner?

    Also, has there ever been a female Marine that has the MOS of a gunner (sorry but I do not know what that would be)


  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Achped View Post
    You know, I really have to disagree with this. I hear it all the freaking time but I know alot of female Marines, and I know not a single one with an expert badge from the rifle range. Boot PFCs, SSgts, Gunnys, Lts, it doesnt matter. I've never met one with an expert badge. In fact, the only one I've ever seen was a female SgtMaj on a poster for women's history month at Camp Johnson. For the record, the other 2 female Marines in the poster were marksman. Everyone says they shoot better but I've never seen it...
    You haven't met the female Marines I know. I shot a 236 in boot camp, but I wasn't even the highest shooter in the platoon. We had quite a few experts.


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