Three women have passed the grueling Combat Endurance Test on the first day of the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course, officials told Marine Corps Times Friday morning.
The women were part of a contingent of the first 7 women to attend the course since the Marine Corps recently revised the stipulations for female attendance. Early in July, the Marine Corps announced two big changes: that seasoned female fleet officers no higher than the rank of captain could apply to attend the course; that women be required to first attend the 90-day Marines Awaiting Training platoon and demonstrate a minimum of a first class male physical fitness score prior to IOC’s training day 1.
Two of the women who recently passed were captains, though Marine Corps Times has yet to confirm their primary job fields. One of the females had previously washed out of IOC, returned and completed MAT training, and recycled into another IOC class. She is not a volunteer. She has to pass the course to qualify for ground intelligence, a recently opened job field for women.
Of the 100-Marine class, 67 of 93 men passed.
Thus far, only one other woman of 24 volunteers has passed this portion of the course since then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the military to integrate women into combat arms occupations in January of 2013.
The Marine Corps revised its handling of women IOC applicants following a controversial editorial from Second Lt. Sage Santangelo which said the Corps was at fault for the female washout rate. Santangelo cited improper preparation of females and no opportunity to take the course a second time.
Later this month, the Marines will stand up their Ground Combat Element Integration Task Force, a group consisting of at least 25 percent women trained in ground combat specialties and headquartered at Camp Lejeune. Researchers will study the female Marines’ progress as they integrate into various combat units for the purpose of establishing physical standards and performance standards for the various jobs.
The Marines must make a recommendation to the Secretary of Defense at the beginning of 2016, following the conclusion of their Women in Service Review, either concurring with a plan to open all ground combat specialties to women or petitioning for an exception in order to keep certain specialties closed.
