A female Marine attempting to become an infantry officer has been dropped from the officer training program after her second failed attempt. The woman, who’s identity has not been released, is one of 30 women to attempt the course. No women have been able to complete the standards laid out in the course and, as a result, no women have been assigned the title of Infantry Officer since all military roles were opened to women earlier this year. No women will receive that title until they can pass the physical test required to earn the title according to Navy Secretary Ray Maybus. Maybus went on record stating that the standards will not be lowered, even if that means no women become Infantry officers for the next five years.
Marine officials have stated that the female Marine was dropped after failing to complete two conditioning hikes. Current standards allow prospective infantry officers to “fall out” of a single hike throughout the entire duration of the course, according to Marine Capt. Joshua Pena. The female officer was one of 34 potential officers who have been dropped from the course for failing to meet physical standards of the 84-day-long course.
The female Marine was dropped during her first attempt to complete the course on April 21, 2016 after only 11 days of training. The Marine Corps. recommended the female Marine for a MOS re-designation after her second failure on July 18, 2016. She will now be placed in a non-infantry job. She was the only female attempting to complete the infantry officer course at the time, meaning no women are actively pursing the position at this time.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus states that, despite the 100% fail-rate for female applicants, the physical standards for Marine Corps infantry officer training will not be lowered to accommodate the female applicants. Changes may be made to the training program to adapt the military to the ever-changing global stage, but no changes will be made for the sake of political correctness or in the name of gender-equality. On April 12, 2016 Mabus told Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA:
“Let me repeat that: Standards will not be lowered for any group to get through. Standards may be changed as circumstances in the world change, but they’ll be changed for everybody.”
No females are currently participating in a Infantry officer training classes and there are no females currently enrolled in future classes.
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