One Marine's View

Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course (IOC)

BY: Washington Free Beacon Staff
April 3, 2013 10:28 am

The only two women to participate in the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course (IOC) failed ongoing tests to determine which infantry positions should be available to women, according to the Marine Corps Times:

Survey of Marines Fails to Show Support for Women in Direct Ground Combat

On Friday, February 1, the Center for Naval Analysis (CNA) released a "Quick-Look Analysis of Survey Results Assessing the Implications of Possible Changes to Women in Service Restrictions". The 5-page paper, dated September 2012, summarizes results of a survey of active-duty Marines on the subject of women in combat, which was conducted from May 30 to August 31, 2012. 

Some Marine combat jobs may remain closed to women

The Marine Corps stepped up to be the first to allow women try out for infantry positions last year well ahead of the other branches. The Marine Corps recommended to Washington that it’s not a good idea. Today, the Marine Corps made it official that women may be in some combat roles and it also said some wont.

 

"We can't afford to lower standards," he said. "We can't make adjustments on what's required on the battlefield.

 

Time for a C-Gar

Will 'equality' now mean lower standards?

“If data gathered … showed that gender ‘diversity’ would strengthen infantry battalions, surely we would have heard that news by now,” she said.

An organization that promotes high standards and sound priorities in the military is blasting “lame-duck” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for opening combat positions to women.

Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness said the move compromises the aim of having the most trained, most skilled and best-performing military.

Pentagon to Lift Rule Excluding Women From Combat

Marines assist their embedded (FET) Female Engagement Team member across a canal in Afghanistan

“not every position will open all at once on Thursday.” Once the policy is changed, the Department of Defense will enter what is being called an “assessment phase,” in which each branch of service will examine all of its jobs and units not currently integrated and then produce a timetable in which it can integrate them What will be interesting is "what" they do with the current standards that are in place within the forces. Will they make women do pull ups vis flexed arm hangs like the men do required by the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test (PFT) or will they simply allow them to meet "female" set standards and perform next to male combat infantry Marines?  As a note, the Marine also just recently discontinued the Marine Corps "Female Engagement Teams" (FET) (interesting) The Marine Corps was the first to "test" the waters and allow female Marines to join infantry units. See the results here where where all the females that aplied for infantry units, washed out of the program. See the results of a previous poll here on OMV regarding females in combat (infantry) units) Time for a C-Gar!

The end of female engagement teams

Cpl. Colby Brown / Marine CorpsLance Cpl. Victoria Rogers, a member of a female engagement team attached to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, jumps over a canal on her way to a local school in Afghanistan. The Corps has transferred the FET mission to Afghan security forces.

I have worked with the Female Engagement Teams (FET)while in Iraq and in Afghanistan and they can be a valuable combat enforcer. What I’m not sure of is why an affective asset isn’t being utilized anymore.

USMC 4-star: Women to attend infantry school - Update

  It was reported on OMV HERE. Now see the follow up below.

 The Marine Corps’ effort to evaluate whether more combat jobs should open to women marked another milestone last week when the second of two female volunteers washed out of infantry officer training.

A second lieutenant, she was dropped from the program Friday after failing to complete required training due to unspecified medical reasons, a Marine official told Marine Corps Times. It’s unclear whether she was injured or if she became ill.

USMC 4-star: Women to attend infantry school

">By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 18, 2012 15:36:36 EDT

The Marine Corps school that produces infantry combat officers will enroll its first-ever female students this year, Marine Corps Times has learned.