Women Allowed to Fight in Combat in the Military

The Marine Corps is under orders to open up its ground combat units - one of 

the last all-male bastions in the military -- to women, but it has been unable to 

find any female capable of making it through its three-month infantry officer 

course.

Beginning in September 2012, 26 women have attempted the course and all of them have been 

forced to drop out -- most on the first day. Despite that zero percent success rate, Brigadier 

General George Smith, the officer in charge of the program, maintains that the Marine 

Infantry Officer Course "is designed just right" and there are no plans to change it. "The 

realities of combat aren't going to change based on gender," Smith says. "The enemy doesn't 

care whether you're a male or female."

The course begins with a Combat Endurance Test, a series of physical and mental challenges spread out over 16 miles. The Marines - both men and women -- never know what's coming next or how long they have to complete the test.

Although no women have passed the officer course, 122 have made it through the less demanding enlisted infantry training, a success rate of 34 percent. But Pvt. Nisa Jovell, who passed with flying colors, tells Martin that women are not meant for the infantry. "We are not built for it, and I'm not saying we can't do it, what [men] do, but our body structure is different." Jovell says women's hips make it more difficult for them to carry the heavy loads required for combat. "The hip problem is definitely a big deal."

In combat, Marines are frequently required to carry a pack that, according to Brig. Gen. Smith, "very likely exceeds 100 lbs., and probably gets up above 130 lbs. in some cases. Often this is more than the women weigh.

It will be interesting to watch what happens now that the  ban on women serving in combat has been lifted. Will a new breed of women emerge who can physically make it through the rigorous training? Will the training and expectations to pass the tests be required to change? Will women be required to register for the draft, should there be one? We will have to wait and see...