Implications of Integrating Women into the Marine Corps Infantry
Abstract
On January 24, 2013, the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the rescission of the 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule (DGCDAR). The 1994 DGCDAR restricted assignments of women to occupational specialties or positions in or collocated with direct ground combat units below the brigade level, in long-range reconnaissance and special operations forces, and in positions involving physically demanding tasks. The effect of this rescission will be to open previously closed occupations-including the United States Marine Corps (USMC) infantry-to women who can meet occupation-specific, gender-neutral standards of performance. This decision to rescind the DGCDAR could open more than 230,000 positions in the U.S. armed forces to women. The services were required to report their implementation plans to the Department of Defense (DoD) by May 2013, and they have until January 2016 to seek exemptions if they want any positions to remain closed to women. In response to this change in policy, the Marine Corps Combat Development Command asked RANDs National Defense Research Institute to assist in identifying the issues that may arise if women are integrated into the Marine Corps infantry, describe efforts that have been successful in addressing these issues in the past, and estimate the potential costs associated with integration. This research should be of interest to USMC and other DoD policymakers, as well as others interested in the potential implications of integrating women into the USMC infantry.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1000429
Entities
People
- Agnes Gereben Schaefer
- Gilian S. Oak
- Jennie W. Wenger
- Jennifer Kavanagh
- Jonathan P. Wong
- Thomas E Trail
- Todd Nichols
Organizations
- RAND Corporation