{"id":18776,"date":"2022-02-09T05:02:38","date_gmt":"2022-02-09T05:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/02\/09\/the-marines-need-more-female-drill-instructors-to-make-gender-integration-work\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:11:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:11:21","slug":"the-marines-need-more-female-drill-instructors-to-make-gender-integration-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2022\/02\/09\/the-marines-need-more-female-drill-instructors-to-make-gender-integration-work\/","title":{"rendered":"The Marines need more female drill instructors to make gender-integration work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To make gender integration<\/a> at boot camp happen, the Marine Corps will need to add more than 70 women drill instructors \u2015 a growing challenge that may make it more difficult for enlisted women to pursue other Marine Corps opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the passing of the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act the Marine Corps was bound by law to end segregated training<\/a> in boot camp at both Marine Corps recruit depots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, was given five years to comply, while Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, which at the time had never trained any female Marines, was given eight years to comply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially members of Congress believed the Corps would integrate at the platoon level. But the law was not explicit, and the Corps seems to be pursuing a path that would see it integrate at the company level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those companies would see five all-male platoons train alongside one all-female platoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even that level of integration would require the Corps to go from 134 women drill instructors to 207, according to documents the Marine Corps provided to Congress, which were viewed by Marine Corps Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\t