AP sources: Marines seek to close combat jobs to women

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Associated Press via Marine Corps Times

By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press 12:02 p.m. EDT September 18, 2015

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps is expected to ask that women not be allowed to compete for several front-line combat jobs, inflaming tensions between Navy and Marine leaders, U.S. officials say.

The tentative decision has ignited a debate over whether Navy Secretary Ray Mabus can veto any Marine Corps proposal to prohibit women from serving in certain infantry and reconnaissance positions. And it puts Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Marine Corps commandant who takes over soon as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at odds with the other three military services, who are expected to open all of their combat jobs to women.

No final decisions have been made or forwarded to Pentagon leaders, but officials say Defense Secretary Ash Carter is aware of the dispute and intends to review the Marine plan. The Marine Corps is part of the Navy, so Mabus is secretary of both services.

The ongoing divide has put Dunford in the spotlight as he prepares to start his new job next week. And it puts him in a somewhat awkward position of eventually having to review and pass judgment — as chairman — on a waiver request that he submitted himself while serving as Marine commandant.

Read more: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/09/18/ap-sources-marines-seek-close-combat-jobs-women/72398172/

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Hat tip, Salt Lake Tribune: Marines seek to close combat jobs to women

[TwilightGardener]

1. Stepping on each others' dicks--what a clown show.

Get your positions straightened out first IN PRIVATE, idiots.

[StrongBad]

2. Probably a good idea given the results of recent studies

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-marines-women-20150912-story.html

Needs more research and consideration as to the potential negative effects it may have.

[jtuck004]

4. Maybe we should address their misogyny first, and how that might have impacted their study.

Maybe get rid of the rapists, child molesters, alcoholics...and Dick Cheney (well, we were on a roll).

Wonder why they weren't all that concerned about negative affects until women tried to become equal?

I wonder what these big tough marines are afraid of from these little women.

[StrongBad]

5. I'm guessing the Marines are afraid of unneessary deaths due to mixed combat operations.

Can you actually explain and point out any flaws in the study, or are you proclaiming "misogyny" because you don't like the results?

[7962]

7. You hit that nail on the head.

[jtuck004]

12. I am living in a racist county run by misogynists, in which women get paid less, disrespected

more, and despite being as capable as men in virtually any arena, are held back because of bigotry, misogyny, racism.

Our published journals are now filled with crap research.The odds that the study is anything even close to a fair analysis is remote, at best. Funny how it underscored exactly what they wanted. They very likely purchased the result they wanted.

You will note that every single attempt to bring women in to the police or military has been met by "evidence" that they couldn't do the job.This is no difference.

The results are exactly what I expect from dishonorable people, and I haven't seen anything that leads me to think this is anything else.

You can think what you want. I won't waste my time.

[StrongBad]

14. So basically you're saying that no evidence or data can change your mind or your existing narrative.

Gotcha. Have a nice day.

[Major Hogwash]

23. You live in a racist COUNTRY run by misogynists, in which women get less opportunities.

Last edited Tue Sep 22, 2015, 04:15 AM - Edit history (2)

Just to clarify the statement you made a little bit.
It isn't just your county, or your state where this condition exists.
It exists clear across the country, in every state, in every county.

[Demonaut]

24. facts suck

[Yo_Mama]

21. I read the study, and the hard data seemed to preclude misogyny.

That was a very fit group of women, too.

Just over a third of the women (all volunteers) could even pass infantry school, compared to 99% of the assigned men. Those that did still could not keep up on average.


Not buying the misogyny thing here. I am a woman - but I think that study shows that it isn't going to work.

[threethirteen]

22. Just because some women can't doesn't mean they all can't.

I don't know about you, but me personally, if someone can do the job, they can do the job, no matter their genitalia or dna. To exclude ALL women because some or most can't IS misogyny.

[Yo_Mama]

27. Not if the result is to downgrade the fighting capacity of the Marine infantry.

Which seemed to be the result.

[TwilightGardener]

11. My hunch, though, is that Sec. Mabus thinks that the Marine study was launched with the

express intent of coming up with a "scientific" way to get an exemption from the new women-in-combat requirement. That needs to be hashed out and settled, but it should have been done behind closed doors and not released publicly until decisions were made.

[mwrguy]

3. Fine. Disband the Marine Corps

Give their job to the Army.

[SoapBox]

6. ^This!^

[7962]

8. Giving them a different name doesnt change their mission. And they're part of the Navy.

The results would still be the same regardless of what branch they were attached to. The Marines have missions that are different than regular Army. Expecting women to be able to perform equally in these missions was doomed to fail from the start. The women who could physically perform equally are outliers and likely not even in the military to begin with

[StrongBad]

9. Why? Did you know there are credible studies that explain why the Marines are considering this path?

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-marines-women-20150912-story.html

[EX500rider]

10. I don't think the Army wants ship borne security and amphibious operations...

....added to their tasking.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

20. Ha!

They couldn't do that job. That's why there is a Marine Corps. (In the interest of fill disclosure, I served in the Marines).

[bluestateguy]

13. They are welcome to ASK for whatever they wish

But we have civilian control of the military in this country, and when the decision is made, I expect the Marines to snap a crisp salute, say "sir, yes sir" and dutifully carry out the order without any complaining.

[uppityperson]

15. If you can do the job, gender shouldn't matter.

[oneshooter]

16. but if they can not do the job?

And people die because of it?

[uppityperson]

18. If someone cannot do their job, they should not have that job. Gender doesn't matter.

[oneshooter]

19. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

Place a all female combat platoon into the sandbox.

[MADem]

17. Someone's gonna be retiring soon. Or backing and retracting.

Merit should determine job assignment.

Not gender. Not skin color. Not religion.

And the Chairman, JCS, at the end of the day, makes NO decisions. He collects the Services consensus, and he advises the POTUS. It's Barack's call, not CJCS.

[Demonaut]

25. merit shows women should not be in combat except those with proven skills on par with men

to open the Marines to all women degrades the combat effectiveness of a combat group.
Political Correctness does not work in this situation.

[MADem]

26. Jobs should be based on merit. Testing should not be biased/loaded/weighted.

Weapon design should be unisex. This is the 21st Century.

We HAVE the technology.

Someone is going to be backing and retracting. Mark my words.