Has the Marine Corps taken things too far with the attempt to erase the gender lines in the Corps?

Look, for nearly 241 years, we have had to suck it up and say "Aye, aye, Sir" to some stupid, but lawful orders. It's an election year, the last year of what had the potential to be a great presidency but became a tragically failed one instead--due in large part to the concentration on stupid stuff like this. That is military service. We have all sorts of what some people call oxymorons: Military Music (but consider Stars and Stripes Forever); Military Justice (but Article 31 predated Miranda by some 10 to 15 years). Soon, however, a new and factual oxymoron is actually going to come out of this when we get our very first pregnant rifleman!

Not according to ASHhole Carter. His priority is to make sure he has time to work out PC issues while we are in the middle of a de facto war with ISIS.

So, there are several good answers here already, but everyone seems to be dancing around the elephant in the room. Therefore, you all get to hear my two cents in the form of a civics lesson (no insult to intelligence intended. I know most Service members and Veterans tend to be far more informed than the average citizen, but I think these facts bear repeating here).

The Marine Corps isn't erasing gender lines. Our elected leaders are. America's system of government stands on the premise that the military is completely subservient to an elected government. If not for that fact, we would have long ago become a military dictatorship or some other form of oligarchy. The fact that our military "knows its place" and remains subservient to our civilian "leadership" demonstrates the strength of our Constitutional system of checks and balances. This has been tested many times, and it will be again. But so far, we have managed to support and defend the Constitution without a hostile take-over of our own government.

I feel confident in saying that everyone who has responded to this question - no matter what side of the issue they're on - has disagreed with some decision our national leadership has made, whether during the current administration, or during a past-President's term. Just because we may view a decision as "really wrong" or morally reprehensible doesn't give the military, as an institution, the right to refuse those orders. Several junior (and senior) enlisted have commented in this thread that other, more senior individuals have no backbone and ought to refuse to obey "unconstitutional orders". Well, hard-chargers, I challenge you youngsters to tell me what's really "unconstitutional" and what's not. That's a bit above our pay grade. Unless you can unequivocally answer that question, then you shouldn't be throwing those kinds of words around. They're inflammatory and serve no good purpose.

I will go on record by saying that I vehemently disagree with the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I also disagree with "normalizing" women in combat roles. I also disagree that making special accommodations for Transgenders (or anybody else, for that matter) is detrimental to combat readiness. There is only one standard in the mind of this SNCO, and that is the standard that gets us combat readiness. As a result, I also believe that it's wrong to be screwing around with this gender-norming of our names and language. But, just because I don't agree with it doesn't mean it's not a legal order that you young guys still wearing a uniform have to obey. NEWSFLASH - If you wear a uniform, you will ROUTINELY have to obey orders you don't agree with!

One thing the Marine Corps, and all our branches of Service for that matter, are pretty good at, is that we do what we're told by our civilian leadership. There are reasons why this is necessary in our society. The Posse Comitatus Act and all that. Some of you (myself included, sometimes) may view that as "rolling over" for the politicians. Maybe a lot of that goes on at the General Officer level. But, maybe we aren't seeing the whole picture at our level. Whatever. It doesn't really matter. What matters is that WE step off smartly and execute the orders we're given.

If there is a clear violation of the law or the Constitution, I'm pretty sure some Lance Corporal, or some Master Sergeant, or even some Lieutenant Colonel isn't going to be the one to bring it to our attention. The point I want to make is this: The ultimate arbiter of what's unconstitutional or "wrong" with the decisions our national leadership makes is The People. The American Voters. THEY (you included) are responsible for electing - or un-electing - our leaders who make these decisions we do or don't agree with. Making your voice heard in the ballot box is the way to rectify any problems you see with the direction this country is taking.

If you aren't willing to make your voice heard (appropriately, while you're still in uniform) then you have no one to blame but yourself for what you get in the way of leadership. And, if you are making your voice heard, but it doesn't go your way, then this country is getting what it deserves despite your best efforts.