The Marine Corps sent two female Lieutenants to Marine Corps Infantry Officers Course in Quantico on Sept. 24 for the first time ever.
By last week both women had washed out.
Tom Bowmen at NPR reports the first woman was out the first day into the 68 day course, and the second failed last week after she could not complete two events due to medical reasons.
None of the training had been changed, or altered — In enlisted boot camp, as well as in the fleet Marine Corps, women have different physical fitness standards than men.
So we talked to a few Marine Corps Infantry Officers to get a feel for what these Marines were in for. The consensus was that the course was "one of the most rigorous the Marine Corps has to offer."
The two women were the first in a batch of 100 or so the Marines will run through the course as part of their evaluation.
The first challenge was breaking through into a man's world
Women have never served in an infantry training unit.
The Marines world is totally dominated by men. Yes, women have a foot in the door, but the first obstacle they have is to break through socially with the men.
"Shoot, move, communicate," as Marines say. Communication is key.
The obstacles were not altered in any way
In enlisted boot camp, most of the obstacles are different for women — bars are a little lower, walls a little shorter.
The female IOC Marines will have to surmount the exact same obstacles as the men.
Everyone went through the early morning indoctrination test
"They drop you off in the woods, zero five in the morning, hand you a envelope, and say 'Go!" One officer tells me.
This is the indoctrination test.
Day 2, initial test, just to see if you have what it takes to do the training. The test consists of about 15 to 20 miles of land navigation, carrying a rifle and military "deuce gear," which is what carries ammunition and water.
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