This was one of many major findings that caused then-Commandant General Joseph Dunford to exercise his option to ask that infantry and some Special Operations Forces remain all-male.īut facts and empirical data did not matter to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Defense Secretary Carter. Instead of proving gender equality, the scientific field tests showed that all-male units outperformed the gender-mixed teams 69% of the time. The unprecedented tests took place at a rugged west-coast base with several hundred average male Marines and highly qualified women who had already been through enlisted infantry training. įor nine months in 20, the Marines hired experts from the University of Pittsburgh to monitor definitive field exercises simulated direct ground combat infantry, armor, and artillery tasks. The Army’s media event effectively trumped three years of scientific Marine Corps research and field tests proving otherwise. Īrmy officials and liberal media nevertheless hailed the women’s graduation from Ranger School as “proof” that female soldiers were ready for the infantry. Contemporaneous records published in Hasson’s book Stand Down showed that one of the women received a passing grade even though she had lost track of one of her soldiers while on patrol, forcing officials to terminate the entire mission. Īuthor James Hasson, a Ranger-trained Iraq veteran, interviewed confidential first-hand sources who revealed that the female trainees were forgiven major errors that would have caused men to be dropped from the course. Thanks to a new book titled Stand Down: How Social Justice Warriors are Sabotaging America’s Military now we know that the first two women to graduate from Ranger school received special treatment and concessions to ensure their highly publicized success. Thirty Army women reportedly have made it through Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA, since 2015, but it is not clear whether any have qualified for the elite 75 th Ranger Regiment. And on the Marines’ tough Infantry Officer Course (IOC) at Quantico, VA, only two out of more than thirty female officers passed – after adjustments were made in scoring requirements. Injury rates for enlisted women in infantry training were two-to-six times higher than for men. Most men could lift progressively heavy barbells above their heads, but 92% of female participants could not accomplish the “clean & press” with a 115 lb. Īmong other things, Marine proxy tests with hundreds of volunteers confirmed significant physical differences in weight-lifting exercises simulating heavy armor or artillery rounds. At least a dozen major studies warned of serious problems before the social experiment began, and in 2012, the Marine Corps initiated a three-year scientific research project to produce definitive facts. This is not surprising, since Defense Secretary Carter ignored abundant evidence that treating women like men in the combat arms would increase injuries and weaken mission readiness. Instead of this fantasy, the caisson’s wheels are starting to fall off. Men and women would be equally capable, immune to sexual attractions, and interchangeable in physically challenging missions. But in two major categories – unequal physical capabilities and sexual misconduct – signs of a failing social experiment are increasingly obvious.ĭuring the Obama Administration, Pentagon officials bought into false promises of a “gender-free” military. Women are serving with courage as they always have. These are the fighting teams that attack the enemy with deliberate offensive action – missions beyond the experience of being “in harm’s way.”įour years out, how is the military’s unprecedented social experiment working? Above all, they are part of the Marine Corps family, and this camaraderie, as well as their leadership training and experience leading Marines, lasts a lifetime.In December 2015, former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter overturned policy and authorized women to serve in direct ground combat ( infantry) units. During active service, officers and their families have access to a wide range of personal and professional resources such as healthcare, travel, advanced education, and financial benefits. Promotions are based on time in rank, successful performance in assignments, and appropriate education. Officers also attend career-level schools like Expeditionary Warfare School and may seek advanced degrees. After their first tour, they serve in non-MOS-related positions such as recruiting duty. Officers serve in the operating forces, leading Marines in their primary MOS. They then attend The Basic School, followed by specialized training that prepares them for their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Marine Officer Candidates earn their commissions after graduating from college and completing a program such as Platoon Leaders Class or Officer Candidate Course.
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