30th female Marine attempting grueling Infantry Officer course after all others have failed

Marine officials have confirmed that another female officer will soon attend the demanding Infantry Officer Course. The announcement comes just days after Secretary of Defense Carter approved the Corps’ plan to integrate women into MOS’s that were previously closed to them.

So far, women are 0 for 29 in attempting the grueling course which was opened to female Marines in 2012. If they want to move into positions such as ground intelligence officers, however, they must pass this course.

Pentagon officials declined to release any personal information about the latest female officer to attempt IOC.

The Marine Corps announced in January that more than 200 female enlisted Marines who graduated from Infantry Training Battalion or other MOS schools previously restricted to men only, could request a lateral move into the jobs for which they qualified.

Capt. Philip Kulczewski, a Marine spokesman at the Pentagon told Marine Corps Times that “So far, none of those Marines has submitted a lateral move package.”

Also in January, a tougher initial strength test was introduced for all prospective Marines, who want to train for a ground combat arms MOS. Poolees are required to complete three pullups; a 1.5-mile run in 13 minutes and 30 seconds; 44 crunches within 2 minutes; and 45 ammo can lifts within 2 minutes.

In a statement released last week, Kulczewski said the Marine Corps (has) “instituted clearly defined gender neutral, operationally relevant, individual performance standards across the spectrum of Marine training and military occupation system designation, which facilitates the matching of Marines to jobs for which they are best qualified.”

Kulczewski added: “Our systematic plan is conditions-based and event-driven, with many actions occurring in the first 12 months…the progress of this plan will be viewed through three lenses: (1) combat effectiveness, (2) the health and welfare of each Marine and (3) managing the diverse talent of the Corps.”

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