Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Thursday 10 augusT 2017
Marines eye plan to put women in West Coast combat training

By LOLITA C. BALDOR serve in all combat jobs.
Associated Press That request was denied in
WASHINGTON (AP) — The late 2015 by then-Defense
U.S. Marine Corps for the Secretary Ash Carter.
first time is eyeing a plan More recently, the service
to let women attend what was rocked by a nude-
has been male-only com- photo sharing scandal
bat training in Southern in which Marines shared
California, as officials work sexually explicit photos on
to quash recurring prob- various social media and
lems with sexism and other other websites and includ-
bad behavior among Ma- ed crude, derogatory and
rines, according to Marine even violent comments
Corps officials. about the women. A task
If approved by senior Ma- force led by the Naval
rine leaders, the change Criminal Investigative Ser-
could happen as soon as vice is looking into the mat-
next spring. And it could ter.
be the first step in a broad- On Tuesday, Maj. Iain Ped-
er campaign to give male den, the Marine Corps’
Marines who do their initial head of military justice, said
training on the West Coast that so far 33 Marines have
the opportunity to work In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, female recruits stand at the Marine Corps Training Depot on Parris faced some type of pun-
with female colleagues Island, S.C. Associated Press ishment or administrative
early in their career. action in connection with
Marine leaders are also from members of Con- the Corps has been review- on the West Coast with no the ongoing investigation
considering allowing wom- gress because the Corps is ing the issue. Marines have females in their units could into the nude-photo shar-
en to attend boot camp the only military service to argued that the separation be contributing to some of ing. No action was taken
in San Diego, the officials separate men and women from the men is needed so the disciplinary problems against 12 others, and two
said. Currently all women for portions of their boot the women can become they’ve had. Giving the more have cases pending.
recruits go through boot camp. And only the Ma- more physically competi- male Marines greater ex- Walters added that sepa-
camp at Parris Island, rine Corps allows half of tive before joining their posure to females during rately, five Marine lieuten-
South Carolina, while male its recruits to go through male counterparts. They training could foster bet- ant colonels have been
recruits go either there or initial training without any also have argued that it ter relations and greater relieved of duty this year,
to San Diego. The combat female colleagues. gives the female Marines respect over time, some and two of those cases
training comes after troops Because there are only a the support they need have suggested. involved problematic be-
have finished boot camp, small number of female during their early weeks of Over the last several years, havior involving women.
and is done both in South Marines, they all go through boot camp. Women make Marine leaders have bat- A Marine task force has
Carolina and at Camp been reviewing a range of
Pendleton in Southern Cali- options and changes for
fornia, but women attend several months to try and
the course only on the East reduce the problems.
Coast. Months ago, Gen. Robert
The officials were not au- Neller, the Marine Corps
thorized to publicly discuss commandant, told Con-
the matter because final gress that the service has
decisions have not been been looking at the recruit
made, so they spoke on training issue. But to date,
condition of anonymity. no major changes have
The boot camp decision is been made.
still under discussion. The nude-photo sharing
Asked about the ongoing investigation represents
discussions, Gen. Glenn a broader military prob-
Walters, assistant com- lem. In a report issued ear-
mandant of the Marine lier this year, the Penta-
Corps, said Tuesday that gon said that nearly 6,200
all options are being con- military members said
sidered, and decisions will that sexually explicit pho-
depend on the analysis, in- tos of them were taken or
cluding logistics, personnel shared against their will by
and cost benefits. someone from work, and
“If we’re going to change it made them “uncomfort-
the culture of the Marine In this March 10, 2017 file photo, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller speaks during a able, angry or upset.” But,
Corps, we need to change news conference at the Pentagon. Associated Press across the services, female
how we’re organized. Our Marines made up the larg-
recruit training is a compo- boot camp at Parris Island, up 8.4 percent of the Ma- tled persistent accusations est percentage of women
nent of that,” he said, add- where they are separated rine Corps, and that is the that the Corps is hostile to who complained.
ing that Marine leaders from the men for portions smallest percentage of all women. The Marines were More than 22,000 service
want to go after any “un- of the training. Congress the armed services. the only service to for- members said they were
conscious bias” that may members have been high- But Marine Corps officials mally request an excep- upset or angry when some-
exist in the Corps. ly critical of that policy and are now suggesting that tion when the Pentagon one at work showed or
Marine leaders have come demanded changes, and training half of their recruits moved to allow women to sent them pornographyq
under persistent criticism