Women in the infantry?

2015-02-01T21:12:00-05:00

I feel like if women can meet and uphold the same standards as the men do then I have no problem with them being in the infantry. But I want them to have to meet OUR (male) standards, not the army female standards.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2015 9:30 PM

2015-02-01T21:30:36-05:00

Exactly SGT

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 1 at 2015 9:38 PM

2015-02-01T21:38:06-05:00

The biggest issue with this is that there is no way to 'fairly' test males against females using a single standard such as a SINGLE Physical Fitness Test.

Men & Women are just different from a biological standpoint.

Having a woman meet the male standards means she is working harder than her equivalent male counterpart, doing the same function. This is a concept that has to be overcome.

On the Marine Corps side, ALL (non Infantry) Enlisted Marines must go through MCT (Marine Combat Training) at SOI School of Infantry). Officers must go through The Basic School. This qualifies us to call ourselves Riflemen (Not Infantryman). A Rifleman for us is the LEAST-Skilled member of a Fireteam (PVT-E1 billet), but capable in the field. That means regardless of of anything else, all Marines can function within an "Infantry Capacity" (as the least skilled member, with direction).

Does this mean every Marine is capable of being Infantry? No. Only those who are able to graduate ITB (Infantry Training Battalion) at SOI or the IOC (Infantry Officers Course) are.

The Marine Corps has tried sending females through IOC, and has not had success yet. It has just been too physically demanding. That doesn't mean females aren't capable of it, just that the USMC isn't going to change the standards.

The Army is testbedding females through Ranger school. We'll have the opportunity to see how that works.

The military is very very good about "not lowering standards" but they are also very good about refining the standards to what is actually needed.

The big takeaway of this is. Don't think about it being an us vs them issue. Think about it being "can they meet the rigors of the job/school." If they can't pass the school, then they won't be Infantry. That's the standard that needs to be maintained.