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It's a matter of averages. How many Marines have you known that were that small? More women than men on average are under 5'4" and 145lbs. I can count on one hand the number of men I've known under 140lb. and 5'. The women would take a lot longer to count.

Irrelevant. We don't admit genders to the armed forces, we admit individuals, so averages really mean nothing here. Each individual recruit will go through an elaborate screening process. If it's true, as posted earlier that 5'4" and 145 pounds is genuinely to small to be effective as a Marine (for this example) then surely the policy admitting 4'10" 96 pound men needs to be changed. It wouldn't even be difficult. Overnight, it could be changed to 5'8" and 170 if that's what is desired.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying that if we're going to admit both, there should be a common standard, an effective standard, and everyone should have to meet it.

The only way this might be relaxed, is if you have same sex only units, and have tougher standards for the men than the women. If they're going to have to fight together, the women should have to pass the undiluted requirements, not water down the requirements for the men.