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Voice of America Exclusive: First Female Marine Joining Infantry Through Process Previously Closed
VOA.com ^ | Carla Babb

Posted on 03/17/2017 11:00:28 AM PDT by drewh

PENTAGON — One woman will make history next week as the first female Marine to join the infantry through the traditional entry-level training process that was previously unavailable to women, officials tell VOA.

The Marine is finishing up her training as a mortarman and will graduate next week from the U.S. Marine Corps School of Infantry at Camp Geiger in eastern North Carolina, said Marine Capt. Joshua Pena, a spokesman for the Marine Corps Training and Education Command.

Officials say the newest woman in the infantry will go to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment in Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, California.

The Marines now have a total of four women in the infantry. Three female Marines joined 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in January after making a lateral move request to join the infantry.

Those three were among 144 female Marines who graduated from the Marine Corps' School of Infantry in 2013-2015, when it was temporarily opened up to women in order to study how gender integration would affect combat readiness. Each of the three women has entered the infantry under the specialty she successfully trained for while attending the school.

The results of the Marine Corps' gender integration study showed that male-only Marine units were faster and more lethal. When it came to critical thinking, however, the joint male-female units outperformed the male-only groups.

Female Marines were given the opportunity to join an infantry unit after former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter ordered that all military positions, including all combat positions, be opened to women beginning in 2016.

The Marine Corps had requested an exemption for infantry and armor positions, but Carter overruled the request, saying the military should operate under a common set of standards.

(Excerpt) Read more at voanews.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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To: drewh

On the same note, I laugh out loud when I watch women “Cops” on tv. When they are after the bad guy, you can hear them yell “get on the ground” “get on the ground” then the male cop tackles the bad guy. The woman cop puts the hand cuffs on the perp!!!! LOL!


41 posted on 03/17/2017 12:52:15 PM PDT by notaliberal (St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle,)
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To: itsahoot

How long does it take a man to make SGT?


Those 2 females are wear Sgt stripes. E-5. Do they look like they have five to eight years in service? see below, last sentence.

USMC NCO Promotion Minimums

At the NCO grades of E-4 and E-5 the process becomes competitive, meaning there are only so many openings available.

At minimum you still have to meet time-in-service and time-in-grade requirements.

To make E-4 requires at least 12 months in the service and 8 months as an E-3.

To make sergeant (E-5) requires at least 24 months in the service and 12 months as an E4-.

In practice, most people spend a lot more time than the minimum of time getting up to these ranks.

The typical sergeant has anywhere from five to eight years of time in service.


42 posted on 03/17/2017 12:55:20 PM PDT by Covenantor (Men are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. " Chesterton)
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To: ex-snook

Who carries the 81mm mortar base plate?


43 posted on 03/17/2017 1:07:01 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: drewh

They need cammo. Lots of cammo.


44 posted on 03/17/2017 1:17:17 PM PDT by Rannug ("all enemies, foreign and : domestic")
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To: drewh
She will learn that being in grunt unit is a lot harder than completing SOI.
45 posted on 03/17/2017 1:45:58 PM PDT by quadrant (1o)
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To: Covenantor
It also depends on the MOS and duty station. Promotions can be slow in some MOS’s and in some duty stations.
46 posted on 03/17/2017 1:48:53 PM PDT by quadrant (1o)
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To: drewh

BAM


47 posted on 03/17/2017 1:53:51 PM PDT by bk1000 (A clear conscience is a sure sign of a poor memory)
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To: drewh
finishing up her training as a mortarman

Give her the base.

48 posted on 03/17/2017 2:18:08 PM PDT by grobdriver (Where is Wilson Blair when you need him?)
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To: drewh
Some time ago I saw part of a documentary on Marine recruit training.The film maker followed to platoons of recruits,one male and the other female.It was clearly and strongly pointed out (or claimed) that both genders were getting exactly the same training...no special favors for the women.

After one particularly tough day of training they interviewed three or four guys.They were all clearly sore,tired and they even appeared to be a bit dispirited.But all of them maintained their bearing,made it clear that they could hack it and that they intended to carry on.

Three or four women,after a day of the same training exercises,were interviewed.All four were weeping like little girls.

49 posted on 03/17/2017 3:01:31 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Deplorables' Lives Matter)
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To: Covenantor
Those 2 females are wear Sgt stripes. E-5. Do they look like they have five to eight years in service? see below, last sentence.

Most when I was in never advanced beyond E-4 in one enlistment.(Army 1957) Navy was qualified advancement but you not only had to pass you had to not piss off your division officer for whatever reason.

50 posted on 03/18/2017 10:29:17 AM PDT by itsahoot ( The return of the Super Secret, Super Genius Plan of GW fame #136)
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To: drewh

Got no problems with good looking WMs. Just not in combat arms. We had a Sgt in admin that was outstanding, she was good looking. She was also a pro at her job.


51 posted on 03/19/2017 4:05:20 PM PDT by xone
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