Slowly but surely, more women are joining the Marine Corps’ ground combat arms community, which had been exclusively male until a couple of years ago.
- A female Marine lieutenant has just become the second woman ever to complete the Corps’ Infantry Officer Course, according to Marine Corps Times. The first female graduate completed the course in September 2017.
- The Marine Corps is not releasing the name of the woman, who graduated from the grueling 13-week course on June 23.
- Thirty other Marines, including two women, were unable to get through the IOC class, according to Capt. Joshua Pena, a spokesman for Training and Education Command.
- Pena told Task & Purpose on Tuesday that the unnamed female graduate currently has the infantry officer’s military occupational specialty, but plans to become a ground intelligence officer, which can lead reconnaissance and sniper platoons.
- Separately, a female lieutenant colonel has become the Marine Corps’ first female commander of a ground combat arms unit, Corps officials said. Lt. Col. Michelle Macander assumed command of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion at Camp Pendleton, California, on June 22, Corps officials said.
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