First Female Marine Completes Grueling Infantry Officer Course

Enlarge this image toggle caption Master Gunnery Sgt. Chad McMeen/Office of Marine Corps Communication Master Gunnery Sgt. Chad McMeen/Office of Marine Corps Communication

For the first time, a female Marine has completed the grueling Infantry Officer Course.

The 13-week course is considered one of the toughest in the U.S. military, and one-third of the class dropped out before graduation.

The Marines said in a press release that the lieutenant has "asked to keep her identity private." The Marine Corps Times reported that 36 other women have attempted the feat before but did not make it through.

Last year, the military opened up all front-line combat jobs to women. The Washington Post gives a sense of how difficult the infantry officer course is:

"The course requires both proficiency in the field, and the strength and stamina to carry equipment weighing up to 152 pounds. The school begins with a day-long combat endurance test that includes rigorous hikes through Quantico's rolling, wooded hills, an obstacle course and assessments of skills like weapons assembly and land navigation. "Historically, about 10 percent of students fail the first day."

The course, according to the Marines, "trains and educated newly selected infantry and ground intelligence officers in leadership, infantry skills, and character required to serve as infantry platoon commanders in the operating forces."

The transition for women into Marine Corps combat roles has not been smooth, as The Two-Way has reported, with some male Marines questioning whether gender integration would impact operational readiness.

Proud of this officer & her fellow leaders. Now they focus on what's important: preparing to lead Marines in combat https://t.co/rwWjXKOAf9 pic.twitter.com/RvzTAkuLLI — Robert B. Neller (@GenRobertNeller) September 25, 2017

"Because the infantry is the beating heart of the Corps and the most revered and influential group within the tribe, the significance of her achievement cannot be overstated," two retired Marines, Kate Germano and Joe Plenzler, wrote in a column in The San Diego Union-Tribune. "Despite its well-established legacy of tactical competence in combat, the Marine Corps has always served as a boat anchor dragging behind the rest of the services when it comes to social change."

Earlier this year, a trove of nude photos of female service members was shared on a Facebook page called Marines United, prompting a Pentagon investigation and tough questions from lawmakers.

The female infantry officer has been assigned to the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton in California. The Marines published video of her participating in the Infantry Officer Course:

Three women completed the U.S. Army's Ranger School in 2015, and one of them, Capt. Kristen Griest, became the Army's first female infantry officer last year, Army Times reported.

Gender integration in special operations jobs has not yet happened, the Post wrote: "Women have not yet met the qualifications to take elite jobs in special operations, including that of Navy SEAL and Army Green Beret, though at least three have attempted the Army's Special Forces Assessment Selection test."</s>A female US Marine on Monday became the first woman to complete the Corps’ notoriously rigorous training course for infantry officers.

Many women serve in the Marines and other branches of America’s armed forces but the woman, who has requested that her name not be released, is the first to make it through the Marine Corps’ 13-week infantry officer training course.

“I am proud of this officer and those in her class,” Marine Corps commandant General Robert Neller said.

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“Marines expect and rightfully deserve competent and capable leaders, and these (Infantry Officer Course) graduates met every training requirement as they prepare for the next challenge of leading infantry Marines; ultimately, in combat,” Neller added.

As an infantry officer, the woman, a lieutenant, will be assigned to lead a platoon of around 40 Marines. She will join the 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, California, the Marines said.

A total of 131 Marines started the infantry officer training course in July and 88 graduated on Monday in Quantico, Virginia, the Marine Corps said.

Three dozen female Marine Corps officers had previously signed up for the infantry training program but failed to finish, according to the Marine Corps Times.

On its Twitter feed, the Marine Corps released a video showing the woman taking part in exercises in the mountains alongside male infantry officer candidates.

Women make up about 15 percent of the nearly 1.4 million active duty troops in the US armed forces.

Former president Barack Obama opened up all military positions to women, including combat units, in March 2016.

Women were previously technically barred from combat, but thousands of American servicewomen saw fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq nonetheless.

The Marines have been seen as the branch of the US military that has been the least accepting of women in combat roles and the infantry plays a special role in the lore of the Corps.

Earlier this year, the Marine Corps was rocked by the revelation of a secret Facebook group called “Marines United” where nude pictures of female Marines were posted without their consent.

In 2015, two women became the first to graduate from the US Army’s elite Ranger School.

In July, a woman reportedly applied to become a member of the celebrated Navy SEALs but dropped out before completing the selection program.</s>U.S. Marine Corps(QUANTICO, Va.) — For the first time in its nearly 250-year history, the U.S. Marine Corps has a female infantry officer.

The woman, who wishes to keep her identity private, graduated from the Marines’ Infantry Officer Course in Quantico, Virginia, on Monday.

Now a lieutenant, she is the first woman to finish the challenging course and the fourth to attempt it since the Marines opened all military occupational specialties, known as MOS, to women in April 2016.

“I am proud of this officer and those in her class who have earned the infantry officer MOS,” Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in a press release Monday.

The female infantry officer will now head to the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California, for her first assignment.

“Infantry Officer Course is the MOS-producing school for Marine Corps infantry officers and the prerequisite course for ground intelligence officers,” the release said. “The grueling 13-week course trains and educates newly selected infantry and ground intelligence officers in leadership, infantry skills, and character required to serve as infantry platoon commanders in the operating forces.”

Of the 131 Marines who began the course in July, only 88 graduated.

In 2015, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the decision to open all military combat roles to women, ending a ban on women’s serving on the front lines. At the time, the Marine Corps formally advised that women should continue to be prevented from working in combat units, despite recommendations from the Army, Navy, Air Force and U.S. Special Operations Command that they be permitted to serve.

“We are a joint force, and I have decided to make a decision which applies to the entire force,” explained Carter in 2015.

Earlier that year, two female soldiers became the first women to graduate from Army Ranger training camp but were not immediately permitted to serve in a Ranger regiment as the decision on combat roles had yet to be made.</s>A female Marine officer made history today at Quantico, Va. by completing the Infantry Officer Course and earning the infantry officer military occupational specialty.

The lieutenant, who asked to keep her identity private, is the first female officer to successfully complete the course since the Marine Corps opened all military occupational specialties to women in April 2016.

“I am proud of this officer and those in her class‎ who have earned the infantry officer MOS,” said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.

Infantry Officer Course is the MOS-producing school for Marine Corps infantry officers and the prerequisite course for ground intelligence officers. The grueling 13-week course trains and educates newly selected infantry and ground intelligence officers in leadership, infantry skills, and character required to serve as infantry platoon commanders in the operating forces.

One hundred and thirty-one Marines started the course in July, and 88 graduated today.

“Marines expect and rightfully deserve competent and capable leaders, and these IOC graduates met every training requirement as they prepare for the next challenge of leading infantry Marines; ultimately, in combat,” said Neller.

Her follow-on assignment is to 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.</s>A female soldier made history on Monday by becoming the first women to complete the United States Marine Corps' infantry officer training program in its 250 year history.

The soldier, who has chosen to remain anonymous, graduated from the Marines' infantry officer coarse in Quantico, Virginia, according to ABC News.

The servicewoman is the first to complete the officer's training program since it opened all military occupational specialties (MOS) to women in Spring 2016.

Three other women have attempted and failed to graduate from the program.

'I am proud of this officer and those in her class who have earned the infantry officer MOS,' Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in a press release Monday.

The 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton will now be headed by the female soldier, marking her first assignment.

'Infantry officer course is the MOS-producing school for Marine Corps infantry officers and the prerequisite course for ground intelligence officers,' the release said.

'The grueling 13-week course trains and educates newly selected infantry and ground intelligence officers in leadership, infantry skills and character required to serve as infantry platoon commanders in the operating forces.'

Of the 133 prospective applicants, 88 finished the training, according ABC News.

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter decided to lift a ban barring women from serving in military combat roles in 2015, opening the door for female soldiers to fight on the front lines ever.

At the time, only the Marine Corps recommend that women still be prevented from serving in combat units, despite every other branch of the militray taking the opposite view.

'We are a joint force, and I have decided to make a decision which applies to the entire force,' Carter said in 2015.</s>A female Marine became the first woman on Monday to complete the notoriously rigorous training course for US infantry officers.

Many women serve as officers in the Marines and other branches of America's armed forces but the woman, who has not been identified publicly at her own request, is the first to finish the 13-week infantry officer training course.

"I am proud of this officer and those in her class," Marine Corps commandant General Robert Neller said in a statement.

"Marines expect and rightfully deserve competent and capable leaders, and these (Infantry Officer Course) graduates met every training requirement as they prepare for the next challenge of leading infantry Marines; ultimately, in combat," Neller added.

As an infantry officer, the woman, a lieutenant, will be assigned to lead a platoon of around 40 Marines. She will join the 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, California, the Marines said.

A total of 131 Marines started the infantry officer training course and 88 graduated on Monday in Quantico, Virginia, the Marine Corps said.

On its Twitter feed, the Marine Corps released nearly a minute of footage showing the woman training in the mountains alongside male Marines.

Former president Barack Obama opened up all military jobs to women, including combat units, in March 2016.

The Marines have been seen, however, as the branch of the military that has been the least accepting of women in combat roles.

Earlier this year, the Marine Corps was rocked by the revelation of a secret Facebook group called "Marines United" where nude pictures of female Marines were posted without their consent.

In 2015, two women became the first to graduate from the US Army's elite Ranger school.</s>QUANTICO, Va. — A female Marine officer made history on Monday when she became the first woman to graduate from the U.S. Marines Corps’ demanding Infantry Officer Course.

The woman, a lieutenant who asked to remain anonymous, is the first female officer to complete the demanding 13-week Infantry Officer Course, based in Quantico, Virginia. The course is a prerequisite for ground intelligence officers and considered one of the hardest.

She started the course in July with 131 Marines. Only 88 of them graduated on Monday.

About 25 percent of students who attempt it don’t pass, according to The Washington Post, with 10 percent of them failing on the first day.

“I am proud of this officer and those in her class who have earned the infantry officer MOS,” Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in a press release.

She will be assigned to the 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The opportunity for the female officer to tackle the course came about after former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter opened all military occupations to women in January 2016.

The decision was met with some criticism at the time. Current White House chief of staff John Kelly, who was then a Marine Corps general, voiced concern about the action, saying the key question was whether it makes the armed forces more lethal.

Since then, four female Marine officers have unsuccessfully attempted to go through the infantry course.</s>For the first time, a female Marine has completed the grueling Infantry Officer Course.

The 13-week course is considered one of the toughest in the U.S. military, and one-third of the class dropped out before graduation.

The Marines said in a press release that the lieutenant has "asked to keep her identity private." The Marine Corps Times reported that 36 other women have attempted the feat before but did not make it through.

Last year, the military opened up all front-line combat jobs to women. The Washington Post gives a sense of how difficult the infantry officer course is:

The course, according to the Marines, "trains and educated newly selected infantry and ground intelligence officers in leadership, infantry skills, and character required to serve as infantry platoon commanders in the operating forces."

The transition for women into Marine Corps combat roles has not been smooth, as The Two-Way has reported, with some male Marines questioning whether gender integration would impact operational readiness.

"Because the infantry is the beating heart of the Corps and the most revered and influential group within the tribe, the significance of her achievement cannot be overstated," two retired Marines, Kate Germano and Joe Plenzler, wrote in a column in The San Diego Union-Tribune. "Despite its well-established legacy of tactical competence in combat, the Marine Corps has always served as a boat anchor dragging behind the rest of the services when it comes to social change."

Earlier this year, a trove of nude photos of female service members was shared on a Facebook page called Marines United, prompting a Pentagon investigation and tough questions from lawmakers.

The female infantry officer has been assigned to the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton in California. The Marines published video of her participating in the Infantry Officer Course:

Three women completed the U.S. Army's Ranger School in 2015, and one of them, Capt. Kristen Griest, became the Army's first female infantry officer last year, Army Times reported.

Gender integration in special operations jobs has not yet happened, the Post wrote: "Women have not yet met the qualifications to take elite jobs in special operations, including that of Navy SEAL and Army Green Beret, though at least three have attempted the Army's Special Forces Assessment Selection test."</s>A female US Marine on Monday became the first woman to complete the Corps' notoriously rigorous training course for infantry officers.

Many women serve in the Marines and other branches of America's armed forces but the woman, who has requested that her name not be released, is the first to make it through the Marine Corps' 13-week infantry officer training course.

"I am proud of this officer and those in her class," Marine Corps commandant General Robert Neller said.

"Marines expect and rightfully deserve competent and capable leaders, and these (Infantry Officer Course) graduates met every training requirement as they prepare for the next challenge of leading infantry Marines; ultimately, in combat," Neller added.

As an infantry officer, the woman, a lieutenant, will be assigned to lead a platoon of around 40 Marines. She will join the 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, California, the Marines said.</s>Female Marine makes history as first women to successfully complete Infantry Officer Course
The first ever female United States Marine Corps Infantry officer graduates.