My USMC Chronicles: Women

In the society created today by American history, women are in a demeanor that demands equality. Despite this, my fellow female Marines consistently prove themselves unequal. A rare breed of women Marines I have encountered are persistent in the quest to defy the trends the females at our side have established. These trends are not outdated or simple stereotypes – they are characteristics seen in high volume. Although admittedly, many of us who strive to accomplish the equivocal tasks of our male counterparts fail, we strive nonetheless. In my four years experience, many men seem to respect that alone and I believe that it is respectable.

To more definitely explained, women are not proving themselves worthy of the same titles as men in the Marine Corps. Our Physical Fitness requirements are just one aspect, and I will begin with that. Women have a minute and a half longer to run a three mile course than men. Women do not have to do pull-ups, we are required to hang for an allotted number of seconds with a definite flex in the angle of our arms. The pull-ups alone, are much more difficult than the hang. The common argument on behalf of the females is that our bodies are designed too differently to make our Physical Fitness Test identical. I will put this into an extreme metaphor: If a man has no arms and one leg, he cannot perform the same as any other serviceman. Should the test for him be altered to fit is handicaps, or should we concede that his usefulness as a militant is too limited for mission requirements? Isn't the female handicap the same concept? If our bodies are not designed to handle the same as men, should we be permitted to hold a man's life at jeopardy to hush the cries of feminists demanding "equality"? Why aren't the men waving the same flag of "no equality" that women did? They have higher criteria and have higher expectations because they are men? Aren't women degrading themselves by allowing there to be handicaps for them? If it is vital, or appropriate, for the mission of a Marine to complete a specified number of pull-ups then that should be the requirement for a Marine. Instead, the Marine Corps has been pushing to enlist more females so hard in the past years that they have lowered the standards for them. As time has progressed those standards have been raised and raised, but they are still not equal. Only a decade ago did women even run three miles. Our prior requirements were a mere mile and a half. Especially in a documented time of bra-burning and insisting women could perform the same duties as men were they not trying to prove that by ACTUALLY doing the same tasks as men. It has been treated as a clubhouse that says "No girls allowed" and the females insisted that they get in. So, we lowered the standards, let them wear the uniform, and gave them a weapon, and they are tasked with the safety of the country and their fellow Marines. While I admit I could not, in my current fitness, perform as the men do, I believe that if I cannot meet the standards NEEDED for a Marine, then I need to join a branch I can successfully call myself equal. How would you feel to put in a war zone with someone you know couldn't lift your right leg much less your whole body in a situation you were injured and had them to depend on? Yet, ladies and gentlemen, this is America's definition of equality.

Furthermore, the PFT does not accurately assess the strength of the female Marine. Many females had painfully higher scores than I, but when we had to carry ammunition boxes, water tanks, Mollypacks, or radiopacks in boot camp they could not do it. One fellow recruit with a similar PFT to mine and I were constantly ordered to carry them. When obstacles that required hoisting one another over were approached, I had to lift my whole squad one by one. When I was the last and they had to pull me over, I was embarrassed because they struggled and at times did not complete the mission simply because they could not get me over the obstacle.

One aspect of the Marine Corps that personally finds a way into the depths of my anger is crying on duty. If you can't count on the United States Marines, the protectors of your freedom, to maintain decisiveness, bearing, and emotional stability in a difficult situation who can you count on? If you have an answer to that, then I hope you encourage them to start running and pick of a weapon, because I certainly do not want an emotional cry baby in a war zone next to me while bombs are going off. I am sure that you wouldn't want your brother, husband, father, or friend next to one either.

Another aspect of the woman's "walk of shame" is promiscuity. Only 36% of females in the Department of the Navy plan their pregnancies (Navy Surveys 2005). From personal experience, women take advantage of the fact the are a minority in the Marine Corps. When there are functions that permit civilian attire, I had never assumed I would see cleavage, but I do. In an unflattering camouflage uniform some females cake their faces with makeup and freshen up their fruity smelling sprays regularly. Now my civilian friends probably don't find the reasoning for my discouragement in this. While I am not against makeup in uniform, I am against the whole kit-n-kaboodle of girlie tendencies. The objective in makeup is to improve your appearance and appeal. (Please note, a little makeup to touch up an embarrassing pimple or alleviate your face of the signs of an all-nighter are nothing of the kind I speak of.) During our last Marine Corps Ball, the Commanding Officer, who is female, was pregnant, so she could not wear her dress blues and had to wear her issued maternity service alphas (they are often liken to that of the appearance of an olive – they are hideous) . So, she allowed all females to wear dresses to the ball to avoid the maternity uniform. I am disgusted with the whole concept of sacrificing Marine Corps tradition and degrading the Marine Corps uniform (on the Marine Corps Birthday celebration) to a secondary option in the favor of vanity. The men were not allowed to find their own impressive tuxedos, and shiny shoes. They wore their uniform – something the women exempt themselves from.

In my office we have had women only meetings, but if the men established a men only meeting the females would play the "inequality" card again.

I have run miles on such injuries as painful ruptured ovarian cysts, twisted ankles, and currently, a residual brain tumor. One of the aspects females are especially renowned for is our ability to treat every sniffle as the bubonic plague and every running pain as stress fractures. They are a never ending line awaiting that light duty chit that will excuse them from training. At any given moment less than half of the females at my current office participate with the men in physical training. The men finish runs limping, but running. The women walk and complain that thy "just can't breathe, because they just got off light duty".

These are only some of the aspects in which we degrade ourselves and give other females who truly want to be equivalent to our male counterparts a much harder obstacle to overcome.

It is sad that, in the society we created, only those who are the problem are permitted to speak the truth. Men, I dare you to repeat my words at your shop. At least I hear the EEO reps are nice.