One first sergeant objected strongly, saying that if women could add anything of value to combat infantry units, they would have been handed those missions long ago.
One staff sergeant worried that the Marine Corps’ high standards would have to be lowered if women were assigned to combat. Other Marines in the group agreed, warning that women would not be accepted by their male counterparts living in spartan wartime conditions, or that family lives would suffer, especially for those female Marines hoping to have children.
One lieutenant, however, disagreed with anyone who argued that now is not the right time to start bringing women into combat roles, and several noted that the American armed forces often had led the rest of society, for example, in integrating minorities.
All 15 were forthright, even bold, in expressing their views on a contentious issue with the secretary of defense.
And all 15 of the Marines were women.
One staff sergeant worried that the Marine Corps’ high standards would have to be lowered if women were assigned to combat. Other Marines in the group agreed, warning that women would not be accepted by their male counterparts living in spartan wartime conditions, or that family lives would suffer, especially for those female Marines hoping to have children.
One lieutenant, however, disagreed with anyone who argued that now is not the right time to start bringing women into combat roles, and several noted that the American armed forces often had led the rest of society, for example, in integrating minorities.
All 15 were forthright, even bold, in expressing their views on a contentious issue with the secretary of defense.
And all 15 of the Marines were women.
