“Simple solutions for the Marine Corps half-stepping and foot dragging…”
The United States Marine Corps has always lived up to its unofficial motto of First to Fight, yet recent events coming from America’s 911 emergency response force leaves questions and doubts as to just how dedicated the Corps is to achieving the goals of social engineering, gender equality and political correctness.
Background Symptoms of Gender Inequality…
As recently brought to the attention of the non-active or reservist duty population of the United States (99.6% of the country), the Corps has decided at least temporarily to shelve its decision to move the gender-different physical fitness requirements closer to partial parity.
Women Marines were slated to start as of the beginning of this calender year to successfully execute at least three pull-ups (versus the much less demanding flexed arm hang), but it was discovered that even after almost 3 months worth of a gender-based physical fitness regimen for women attending Marine recruit training, almost half still failed.
Even with the failure of the slight increase in physical strength demands placed on them, women still had the advantage over men.
Doubts If Corps Leadership Truly on Board with Real Gender Equality…
As officially dictated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, in order for males to attain a perfect score on the pull-up portion of the Physical Fitness Test (PFT), 20 reps are required. For women, it’s a mere eight. By any measurable standard, the sizable majority of women Marines will never attain and maintain the minimum strength requirements demanded of their male counterparts.
To acquire true equality, the only true adjustment would be to scrap pull-ups all together.
Males and females together must have as the only measurement of upper body strength the current standard used for women — starting in the “up” position of a pull-up (with assistance, of course) without one’s chin resting or touching the pull-up bar, one must simply hang on the pull-up bar for 15 to 70 seconds while his (or her) arms are in any degree of angled “flexed arm hang.”
In the name of equality, the question remains: Should men still be required to complete the 3-mile run portion of the PFT?
Now for REAL Equality…
Only in the recent history of the Corps were women Drill Instructors authorized to wear the venerable Campaign Cover, popularly known to civilians as the “Smokey the Bear Hat.” For generations of Marines, the Campaign Cover was a decidedly masculine article of clothing.
During the administration of Bill Clinton, gender lines were blurred as women assigned to DI Duty started wearing the Smokey.
Despite the enlightened social engineering administrations of certain Commanders-in-Chief, there are still different requirements and regulations between the genders. Specifically:
- There is one uniform set of dress and formal dress trousers, shirt and jackets for women, a totally different set for men.
- There also exists in Marine clothing regs the allowance for women to wear skirts, panty hose and carry a purse. There exists no equality for the men.
Grooming and Appearance Rules Remain Unfair…
Per Marine Corps Order P1020.34 (Uniform Regulations), women Marines may wear make-up and fingernail polish within the standards enclosed therein. Men cannot.
As long as they comply with the standards while on duty, women Marines may also grow their hair as long as they so desire. Men cannot.
Women also may wear their hair in the “corn rows” style. Men cannot.
Even if they be the cheap Wal-Mart type, women are also allowed to wear hair extensions.
Wait for it … men cannot.
