In the Crosshairs: Are Female Marines Closer to Combat Roles?

In late November, three women became the first female Marines to graduate from the Marine Corps’ taxing infantry course. The event served as an important step forward for women in the military, who have not able to serve in ground combat forces. The Pentagon finally removed a ban on female service members in combat roles in January 2013, but the transition has been slow.

According to the Washington Post, the three female Marines, identified as Pfcs. Julia Carroll, Christina Fuentes Montenegro and Katie Gorz, graduated from Camp Geiger, N.C. but will be unable to serve in combat roles for a while. The infantry course they graduated from originally held 15 female volunteers and 266 male volunteers; three women and 221 men graduated. A fourth woman nearly completed the course, but was injured and could not graduate.

In June, officials in the Pentagon stated that women would be permitted to train for combat positions by 2016. In the meantime, military leaders, in the Marines and Army in particular, will study whether it makes sense to incorporate female members in combat forces and how to integrate them. Nearly all positions in the Navy and Air Force are open to female service members, except for some elite teams.

“Any force-wide changes to be made will occur only after we have conducted our research, determined the way ahead and set the conditions to implement our recommendations,” Capt. Maureen Krebs, a Marine spokeswoman, told the Washington Post.

There are several issues that will have to be addressed before female Marines are able to serve alongside their male counterparts in combat. Not only will they have to pass rigorous training but they will also have to face strong opposition from the traditionally male-dominated service. A survey last year reported that 1 in 6 Marines said they would leave the service if forced to fight alongside women, the Washington Post reported.

Military officials have relayed their skepticism over the integration of female service members in combat roles. Some are even skeptical women want to participate in combat roles. Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told the Post, “If you only have 10 women who are interested, then what is the uproar all about. It wasn’t a military push to do all this. It’s purely a political push.”

However, it seems that there are female service members that are beginning infantry courses. They also have the full support of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

During a trip to the Middle East this week, aboard the USS Ponce, Hagel said the female Marine graduates achievements were “tremendous.” He said that female service members in all branches should be given more opportunities for jobs, promotions and command positions.

Hagel added that female troops don’t want standards lowered to admit them. “And if women can and want to serve in any of…the combat areas and they can meet those standards, they should be allowed to serve.

“I’m personally strongly supportive of it,” he continued. “...I’m very proud of these women who are stepping forward and who want to do more things, and are doing more things.”