(photo: U.S. Marine Corps)
Originally 15 women have voluntarily signed up for the training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Out of 15, three women survived the same training as male Marines including carrying a rifle and 90 pounds of combat gear on 12-mile march. All three women have met all the physical fitness tests and even passed performing full pull-ups as their fellow male Marines did. U.S. Marine Corps infantry training is internationally notorious for difficult to graduate even for the best of men, so this was a very monumental significance for women. This could possibly redirect Marine to go form “gender neutral” standards.
It was reported that there was a 4th woman who has pull through all the training except she was injured at the last moment. Once she recovers and passes the last combat fitness test, she will be the fourth female Marine to graduate the infantry training.
The 3 female Marines who passed the infantry training, they will be sent to non-combat jobs in Marine Corps. However, Corps is closely considering the option of opening up the chance for women to join in combats.
아주경제 MJ Kwak 기자
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