Marine Commandant Amos: "There are 144 same sex couples in Marine Corps" [View all]

[Bucky]

http://www.mca-marines.org/leatherneck/article/update-corps-interview-general-james-f-amos-35th-commandant-marine-corps

In an interview with Leatherneck magazine, Marine Corps Commandant James Amos stated:

"We have about 144 same-sex couples on active duty, and less than 25 are a Marine with a Marine. Most are a Marine and a civilian or a Marine with another servicemember. Same-sex mar­riages are not allowed in all the states, so the Secretary of Defense authorized them “basket leave” to get married in another state. He’s trying to take care of these people. It’s not causing any concern to my knowledge, and I haven’t heard a peep about it."

About the changine role of women in combat positions, Gen Amos reported:

"{Opening up the Corps’ closed jobs and units to women is} going as planned. We’re talking about the law here. Congress has told the Secretary of Defense to open up these closed MOSs [military occupational specialties] and units to women and report back by January 2015. We’re trying to establish one standard for both male and females in tanks, artillery, infantry and reconnaissance. For example, every artil­lery Marine must do certain things, in­cluding picking up and loading a 96-pound 155 mm shell.

Of the 150 female Marine officers who joined since April 2012, eight tried un­successfully to make it through the Infan­try Officers Course {IOC} at Quantico, Va. We’re encouraged that four more women officers have volunteered for the next IOC that starts in early 2014.

On the enlisted side, 119 female Marines graduated recruit training last September, and 49 were physically qualified to attend the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, N.C. They reached the same standards as the males, including being first-class PFTers and doing pull-ups. Of those, 15 checked into the School of Infantry. Over the next 60 days, some were injured and others dropped-out-on-request. Four women made it through the final hurdle, a long march carrying a heavy pack, but one broke her foot. Three female Marines graduated."

====

It kind of seems like all the gender bias and sexual orientation arguments people made against bringing the military into the 21st Century turned out to be baseless, at least as far as the Marines go.