Here Ya Go Marines.........

[Norm]

**************** UNCLASSIFIED/ ****************

Subject: ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO GROUND COMBAT UNITS
Originator: CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
DTG: 232219Z Apr 12
Precedence: ROUTINE
DAC: General
To: AL ALMAR(UC)
--------------------------------------------------
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 012/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO GROUND COMBAT UNITS//
POC/-/-/UNIT: MPO/-/TEL: (703) 784-9386/TEL: DSN 278-9386//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. AS MARINES, WE ARE ALL JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF THE
VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OUR MARINES MAKE DAILY, AND WANT TO ENSURE
THAT EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEL EXIST FOR ALL MARINES ACROSS THE
CORPS. FOR THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN A
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) LED REVIEW OF
THE LAWS, POLICIES, AND REGULATIONS THAT MAY RESTRICT THE SERVICE
OF FEMALE SERVICE MEMBERS IN ALL MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES
(MOS'). BASED ON CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTION IN THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT (NDAA), THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PROVIDED
FURTHER GUIDANCE IN FEBRUARY 2012 TO THE SERVICES TO ASSESS THE
IMPACT OF NEWLY OPENED POSITIONS IN PREVIOUSLY CLOSED UNITS AND TO
CONTINUE EVALUATING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT MAY BE OPENED TO OUR
FEMALE MARINES ACROSS THE CORPS. ACCORDINGLY, I HAVE DIRECTED THAT
MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH BE CONDUCTED TO PROVIDE ME WITH
THE INFORMATION AND DATA NECESSARY TO MAKE AN INFORMED AND EDUCATED
RECOMMENDATION ON POTENTIAL POLICY CHANGES. THE CUMULATIVE RESEARCH
EFFORT WILL INCLUDE AN EXCEPTION TO THE GROUND ASSIGNMENT POLICY,
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH, AND A TOTAL FORCE SURVEY.
2. CURRENT GROUND ASSIGMENT POLICIES RESTRICT THE ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN
SERVING IN AN OPEN PRIMARY MOS (PMOS) TO CERTAIN UNITS IN THE GROUND
COMBAT ELEMENT (GCE). THE EXCEPTION TO POLICY WILL ALLOW US TO
BEGIN ASSIGNING ACTIVE DUTY, UNRESTRICTED, FEMALE COMPANY GRADE
OFFICERS, GUNNERY SERGEANTS, AND STAFF SERGEANTS IN THEIR CURRENT
PMOS' TO ARTILLERY, TANK, ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN, COMBAT ENGINEER, COMBAT
ASSAULT, AND LOW ALTITUDE AIR DEFENSE BATTALION STAFFS IN ORDER TO
FACILITATE OUR RESEARCH EFFORT. FEMALE MARINES POSSESSING AN
ADMINISTRATION, LOGISTICS, COMMUNICATIONS, SUPPLY, OR MOTOR
TRANSPORT MOS MAY BE ASSIGNED TO THE ABOVE UNITS AS PART OF THE
NORMAL ASSIGNMENT PROCESS DURING CALENDAR YEAR 2012. FEMALE NAVY
MEDICAL OFFICERS, CHAPLAINS, AND CORPSMEN (E-6 AND E-7) MAY ALSO BE
ASSIGNED TO THESE BATTALIONS. FEMALE MARINES AND SAILORS WILL BE
ASSIGNED TO BATTALION STAFFS IN THEIR PMOS. THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT
FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS WILL DIRECT AND MONITOR ALL
ASSIGNMENTS UNDER THIS EXCEPTION TO POLICY.
3. TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND WILL CONDUCT QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
TO GATHER PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE DATA. BEGINNING THIS SPRING, MALE
AND FEMALE MARINES IN ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING AND MALE MARINES FROM A
GCE BATTALION WILL BE SOLICITED TO VOLUNTEER TO CONDUCT THREE TESTS;
HEAVY MACHINE GUN LIFT, CASUALTY EVACUATION, AND MARCH UNDER LOAD.
THESE TESTS ARE BASED ON EXISTING TRAINING AND READINESS STANDARDS
AND WILL SERVE TO PROVIDE ANALYTICAL DATA TO INFORM MY
RECOMMENDATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, FEMALE GRADUATES OF THE BASIC
OFFICER COURSE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER TO ATTEND
THE INFANTRY OFFICER COURSE (IOC) PRIOR TO ATTENDING THEIR
PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED PMOS SCHOOL. FOLLOWING IN TRACE, WE WILL TAKE
MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE STEPS TO PROVIDE OUR FEMALE ENLISTED
MARINES WITH FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER TO TRAIN WITHIN THE
INFANTRY TRAINING BATTALION (ITB). THE INFANTRY PMOS WILL NOT BE
AWARDED FOR VOLUNTEERS THAT ATTEND IOC OR ITB DURING THE RESEARCH
PHASE. THE DATA AND INFORMATION COLLECTED WILL PROVIDE THE
FACT-BASED ANYALTICAL DATA NECESSARY TO FORMULATE MY RECOMENDATIONS
REGARDING THE POTENTIAL ASSIGNMENT OF FEMALE MARINES TO THE GCE AND
OTHER CLOSED MOS'.
4. ALSO, I HAVE DIRECTED THAT A TOTAL FORCE SURVEY BE CONDUCTED THIS
SPRING TO GATHER YOUR INPUT REGARDING POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT POLICIES RELATED TO FEMALE MARINES. YOUR
EXPERIENCES AND OPINIONS WILL BE INVALUABLE AS WE CONTINUE TO
EVALUATE CHANGES TO EXISTING POLICIES.
5. I EXPECT ALL LEADERS TO BE FULLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EVERY
MARINE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE AND EXCEL, WHILE SUSTAINING UNIT
EFFECTIVENESS, READINESS AND COHESION, AND MAINTAINING GOOD ORDER
AND DISCIPLINE. I WILL CONSIDER THE RESULTS AND IMPACT OF THE
EXCEPTION TO THE GROUND ASSIGNMENT POLICY, THE QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH, AND THE TOTAL FORCE SURVEY AS WE MAKE FUTURE
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO
GROUND COMBAT ELEMENT UNITS.
6. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//

[Sea Six]

That word "corpsman."

It's pronounced "corpse-man," right?

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by Norm

**************** UNCLASSIFIED/ ****************

Subject: ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO GROUND COMBAT UNITS
Originator: CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
DTG: 232219Z Apr 12
Precedence: ROUTINE
DAC: General
To: AL ALMAR(UC)
--------------------------------------------------
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 012/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO GROUND COMBAT UNITS//
POC/-/-/UNIT: MPO/-/TEL: (703) 784-9386/TEL: DSN 278-9386//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. AS MARINES, WE ARE ALL JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF THE
VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OUR MARINES MAKE DAILY, AND WANT TO ENSURE
THAT EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEL EXIST FOR ALL MARINES ACROSS THE
CORPS. FOR THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN A
CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) LED REVIEW OF
THE LAWS, POLICIES, AND REGULATIONS THAT MAY RESTRICT THE SERVICE
OF FEMALE SERVICE MEMBERS IN ALL MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES
(MOS'). BASED ON CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTION IN THIS YEAR'S NATIONAL
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT (NDAA), THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PROVIDED
FURTHER GUIDANCE IN FEBRUARY 2012 TO THE SERVICES TO ASSESS THE
IMPACT OF NEWLY OPENED POSITIONS IN PREVIOUSLY CLOSED UNITS AND TO
CONTINUE EVALUATING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT MAY BE OPENED TO OUR
FEMALE MARINES ACROSS THE CORPS. ACCORDINGLY, I HAVE DIRECTED THAT
MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH BE CONDUCTED TO PROVIDE ME WITH
THE INFORMATION AND DATA NECESSARY TO MAKE AN INFORMED AND EDUCATED
RECOMMENDATION ON POTENTIAL POLICY CHANGES. THE CUMULATIVE RESEARCH
EFFORT WILL INCLUDE AN EXCEPTION TO THE GROUND ASSIGNMENT POLICY,
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH, AND A TOTAL FORCE SURVEY.
2. CURRENT GROUND ASSIGMENT POLICIES RESTRICT THE ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN
SERVING IN AN OPEN PRIMARY MOS (PMOS) TO CERTAIN UNITS IN THE GROUND
COMBAT ELEMENT (GCE). THE EXCEPTION TO POLICY WILL ALLOW US TO
BEGIN ASSIGNING ACTIVE DUTY, UNRESTRICTED, FEMALE COMPANY GRADE
OFFICERS, GUNNERY SERGEANTS, AND STAFF SERGEANTS IN THEIR CURRENT
PMOS' TO ARTILLERY, TANK, ASSAULT AMPHIBIAN, COMBAT ENGINEER, COMBAT
ASSAULT, AND LOW ALTITUDE AIR DEFENSE BATTALION STAFFS IN ORDER TO
FACILITATE OUR RESEARCH EFFORT. FEMALE MARINES POSSESSING AN
ADMINISTRATION, LOGISTICS, COMMUNICATIONS, SUPPLY, OR MOTOR
TRANSPORT MOS MAY BE ASSIGNED TO THE ABOVE UNITS AS PART OF THE
NORMAL ASSIGNMENT PROCESS DURING CALENDAR YEAR 2012. FEMALE NAVY
MEDICAL OFFICERS, CHAPLAINS, AND CORPSMEN (E-6 AND E-7) MAY ALSO BE
ASSIGNED TO THESE BATTALIONS. FEMALE MARINES AND SAILORS WILL BE
ASSIGNED TO BATTALION STAFFS IN THEIR PMOS. THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT
FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS WILL DIRECT AND MONITOR ALL
ASSIGNMENTS UNDER THIS EXCEPTION TO POLICY.
3. TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND WILL CONDUCT QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
TO GATHER PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE DATA. BEGINNING THIS SPRING, MALE
AND FEMALE MARINES IN ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING AND MALE MARINES FROM A
GCE BATTALION WILL BE SOLICITED TO VOLUNTEER TO CONDUCT THREE TESTS;
HEAVY MACHINE GUN LIFT, CASUALTY EVACUATION, AND MARCH UNDER LOAD.
THESE TESTS ARE BASED ON EXISTING TRAINING AND READINESS STANDARDS
AND WILL SERVE TO PROVIDE ANALYTICAL DATA TO INFORM MY
RECOMMENDATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, FEMALE GRADUATES OF THE BASIC
OFFICER COURSE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER TO ATTEND
THE INFANTRY OFFICER COURSE (IOC) PRIOR TO ATTENDING THEIR
PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED PMOS SCHOOL. FOLLOWING IN TRACE, WE WILL TAKE
MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE STEPS TO PROVIDE OUR FEMALE ENLISTED
MARINES WITH FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER TO TRAIN WITHIN THE
INFANTRY TRAINING BATTALION (ITB). THE INFANTRY PMOS WILL NOT BE
AWARDED FOR VOLUNTEERS THAT ATTEND IOC OR ITB DURING THE RESEARCH
PHASE. THE DATA AND INFORMATION COLLECTED WILL PROVIDE THE
FACT-BASED ANYALTICAL DATA NECESSARY TO FORMULATE MY RECOMENDATIONS
REGARDING THE POTENTIAL ASSIGNMENT OF FEMALE MARINES TO THE GCE AND
OTHER CLOSED MOS'.
4. ALSO, I HAVE DIRECTED THAT A TOTAL FORCE SURVEY BE CONDUCTED THIS
SPRING TO GATHER YOUR INPUT REGARDING POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT POLICIES RELATED TO FEMALE MARINES. YOUR
EXPERIENCES AND OPINIONS WILL BE INVALUABLE AS WE CONTINUE TO
EVALUATE CHANGES TO EXISTING POLICIES.
5. I EXPECT ALL LEADERS TO BE FULLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EVERY
MARINE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE AND EXCEL, WHILE SUSTAINING UNIT
EFFECTIVENESS, READINESS AND COHESION, AND MAINTAINING GOOD ORDER
AND DISCIPLINE. I WILL CONSIDER THE RESULTS AND IMPACT OF THE
EXCEPTION TO THE GROUND ASSIGNMENT POLICY, THE QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH, AND THE TOTAL FORCE SURVEY AS WE MAKE FUTURE
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO
GROUND COMBAT ELEMENT UNITS.
6. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//

Well, alrighty, then.

[kingpin]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Cliffs?

[RetiredSFC 97]

Originally Posted by TxAg

Cliffs?

They are going to start experimenting with placing women in combat roles.

God I'm glad I'm retired.