85% female marines fail fitness test

[forefathersrback]

Forefathersback,
Thanks for sticking around.
Thanks to your daughter and her toughness.

I was active from 75 to 81. Carter administration was trying sex integrating.
The results were both good and bad.
The best attitudes and work habits were from "my" WMs.
That said, I wouldn't allow them to load the trucks.
Didn't see the point in a 110lb WM getting squished under a 250 lb cable reel.
Not when there were 35 otherwise healthy 165 to 200 lb muscled dudes to do grunt work.

Why do the Marines segregate sexes? Because men carry more weight. bigger bones.
Women physically break when subjected to male standards. Hell, men break.
Doesn't make us any less tough. Whomever earns the EGA is special in my eyes.

Last few years we have seen the same arguments by the same crowd that women are equal.
So how to prove or disprove? By measuring. Boot camp is hard, how hard?
25% of the recruits do not graduate. Some get recycled. Some wash-out, some die.

There are exceptional folks that rise head and shoulders above the thundering herd in all branches. Then there are the rest of us (me included). Merging standards doesn't change biology.

Now we know what our daughters and granddaughters are subjected to.
Female POWs are raped.

Respectfully
Rick Benjamin
Semper Fidelis

Mr. Benjamin, you're 100% right! There is a huge difference physically between male and female. That I will not argue. I've been through many debates with my daughter about women on the front lines. I have never been for women on the front lines, mainly because women POWs are raped. Her reply was, male POWs are raped also. Which is very true, both are horrific acts! Male rapes are never talked about. Not exactly sure what went on in Abu Ghraib, although I don't think rapes occurred, but there was certainly some disrespectful BS that was going on! You Mr. Benjamin I do respect. You would watch out for by daughters six, as she would yours! As the saying goes, once a Marine, always a Marine!!! This I will tell you, my daughter earned her EGA! This is my testimony to you as a man!

Forefathers, not in, not out, just me!

 

[forefathersrback]

I don't recall anyone implying that your's or anyone else's daughter in the Corps wasn't a Marine...just that the current combat fitness tests failure rate of 85% is indicative of a failure to recruit qualified females. I'd be willing to bet that the failure of at least half of those 87% could have been predicted by using a simple physical assessment. Too many lack either the conditioning, attitude, or perhaps the ability and desire to push through the dirt and the hurt...Skills and mindset, it appears your daughter possesses those, in spades! This goes for guys too, it's just that their size and strength gets them through.

I hope for the sake of your daughter and her fellow Marines, that survivability if thrust into a combat role isn't negatively impacted. Lets all hope that this recruitment problem won't be solved by the tempting application of a politically expedient
Band-Aid, simply lowering standards to make the "numbers" look good.

All Marines, including our daughters, deserve the most capable
"siblings in arms" that a grateful Nation can provide.

So true!

 

[forefathersrback]

Could it be that they hare having a change of heart after enlisting and are intentionally failing??

I think we should put a bunch of these chicks on the front lines and let a lot of them come home in boxes . . . They want to be equal let them die equal!!!!!

Sheldon

Sheldon, In all honesty is this your view? First of all my daughter is not a chick! She is an United States Marine! So are you suggesting she should have came home in a box, to be an equal? Are you eF'ing kidding me! My statement is not that everybody deserves a trophy or the bra burning, to be an "equal". I never suggested that my daughter was tougher than all men, all I was saying, is that she earned her EGA!. Not given to her because she was of a "lessor sex"! In your opinion! Many women have earned those honors also. Let me tell you something they earned it with blood, sweat, and tears, NOT T&A!!!!!!!!!

My wife & I flew out to Parris Island, to watch our Marine graduate, what an honor for us. Shortly after, 911 happened! Guess where our Marine, and many others were headed? It wasn't behind a desk to paint your fingernails!! Our Armed Forces were in Iraq, Oh, wait, male & female. All were in harms way! No one needs to come home in a box!!!!! To prove their worth!! My wife & I cried many a tears worrying about the brave men & women serving!!! Do you have any clue what it's like to be a parent {or family member} of a male or female serving this country in harms way. I hope you never have to feel that pain! {male or female}

Our family, Marine included attended the memorial service for a local hero, KIA in Iraq. A United States Marine. Gender did not play a role in our families pain. We have known the this family for many years. Our hearts were broken! And still are! Tears are streaming from my eyes, right now!! It wasn't a male or female issue, so what was it? The ultimate sacrifice was given, for you, me, and everyone!

Mr. Sheldon, let me change it up a bit. When your momma gave birth to you, and she was screaming in pain, was your daddy an equal?

Forefathers, not in, not out, but firm in my support of the Military branches!
* Edit: I have removed the name of Marine, out of respect for the family, because their loss is still painful to this day!

 

[Sstrand]

Objections duly noted . . .

Sheldon

 

[PaulB47]

I have never been for women on the front lines, mainly because women POWs are raped.

Apparently they are raped when they are not POWs too:
Sexual assault in the United States military - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_assault_in_the_United_States_military)

 

[RicInOR]

One of my guilty pleasure movies is GI Jane.
(except for the ending, ... )

You might remember the scene, she is complaining to the General that the problem is he is treating her differently. She is wanting to be treated the same as all the other recruits.

Exactly. You bleed green just like everyone else. There is not a secondary standard. Maybe there is a different standard for the Air Force from the Corps, but no 2 standards.

Same for Fire Fighters. PJs (bad-bubblegum fly boys) Smoke Eaters (who will be very, very busy this year) etc.

 

[rick benjamin]

http://cmrlink.org/data/sites/85/CMRDocuments/SASCTestimonyElaineDonnelly020216_Final.pdf