Infantry Officer Moves Ahead
The first woman to graduate from the Marine Corps’ notoriously grueling Infantry Officer Course is now leading a platoon of male grunts in Australia.
First Lt. Marina Hierl is the only female Marine to lead an infantry platoon in her service’s history. About a year after she reported to Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, the novelty of it all has worn off a bit — and she’s even left some male grunts rethinking their opinions about women in the infantry. – Military.com article. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/08/13/marine-grunts-1st-ever-female-infantry-leader-shes-one-us.html
The officer discussed in the Military.com and NYT articles, 1LT Marina Hierl, seems to be a modest sort, uninterested in promoting herself, or talking up some agenda other than the agenda of the US Marine Corps. Unlike some other military women we’ve seen before, she’s doing what Marines are supposed to do: putting the Corps’ needs first.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/us/politics/marines-women-combat-platoon.html
LT Hierl made the boys in the platoon keep up with her, which is interesting. They must be – well, wienies? Does the Corps have wienies?
Both articles do indicate that there was a certain amount of sexist crap in the beginning, but that it apparently shut off when the guys ran out of breath trying to keep up with the Lieutenant.
If she and the other two women (senior enlisteds) in that battalion are living up to regular standards, then there should be no argumentation or discussion about lowering standards to accommodate women. Or perhaps Women Marines are just better at it than Army females… or something? More dedicated to doing the job?
These women are 3 out of a group of 37 who entered the Infantry course. The other 34 did not complete it. I did not dig into that part or whether or not any of them had recycled. The fact that these three have made it through and are moving ahead should annoy any military women who think they should get special dispensations of some kind because they are women. Sorry, N-O, no. You either make it or you don’t.
Oh, yeah: if you don’t want to read it because it’s a ‘guy’ thing, let me know. I am willing to listen to the bitter sobbing and sniffling for at least 38 seconds.
After that, I will send GySgt Millard Rzezckowski to your house to tell you to stop. He’s bigger than Apone and has a voice like a rumble of summer thunder.
Category: Marine Corps
That’s nice but are there any swimsuit shots of her?
No, but there are several of her in the field all muddied up, wearing a hat.
So, she is wearing a Marine swimsuit?
Yeah, USMC Infantry Digital Bikini (IDB).
Well, this ought to make the TAH resident Village Idiot’s head explode.
Well done, 1stLt Hierl.
Semper Fidelis.
“…TAH resident Village Idiot…”
Which one?
I’m impressed by the simple fact that she is not interested in discussing HER position as a female, but rather in discussing the job of the infantry and the training it takes to be successful in the field.
She’s making it clear that this isn’t about her. It’s about the Marines and the MC Infantry.
Good for you 1stLT Hierl. Did what a lot of folks won’t even try to do, much less actually do. I’ve never had a problem with any one having the same opportunity to do any job they wanted to attempt. Don’t think there are any wienies in the Corps, least ways, I’ve never met any. Have seen some a pictures of some Marine that dressed a little funny, but I think that was because a certain person “made him do some things.” Will be interested in seeing IDC-SARC’s comments, tho I think I can guess what his opinion will be.
Is the pony tail fair game in hand to hand?
As legit as grabbing someone by the balls.
Because, as we all know, their hearts and minds will surely follow.
“You have discovered the secret of life” (at least a happy one), Grasshopper!
Personally, I would go for a short haircut.
Julius Caesar required all his troops to have long hair because he knew that any barbarian with a sword or axed could grab longer hair and cut your head off in one swoop. (No, I do not know where I read that, but I think Alexander had the same requirement.)
But that’s just me.
I think she’s want short hair, if only for ease of care. As the song said:
“Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas, (yeah) a hive to bees, (yeah) a nest for birds
…………………..
Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair”
Great as long as the standards did not get lowered.
Did you mean to say short hair? Had always heard short hair was advantageous both to deny the enemy a very effective handhold and to help control lice etc.
OH, crap, I DID mean SHORT hair, not long hair.
My bad! Sister Mary Grace can pound me for not proofreading before clicking ‘post’.
Keep in mind that it is all fun and games until blood spills and stuff starts exploding. Then we shall see. That is the only time it really counts.
This is good to so and will (?) silence the weenies who feel the standards should be adjusted so that women have a better chance of passing. If women can do the work, allow them to do so.
When are we going to see or hear Hillary celebrate this? Is this the equality that goofy Andrew Cuomo was just referring to when he said “America was nevr that great”? Where’s Lieawatha, Elizabeth Warren on this? Airwaves saturated with Stormy Daniels and Amorosa. How about a REAL sensation like the LT?
What dahell are you smoking, thinking any of that is gonna happen?
I would rather those harridans and hags stayed out of it.
This Marine and her two enlisted counterparts, and that Army 1st Sergeant in the video, the examples that we should look to for women to follow.
But, but, but, but….. Hillary “ran across the tarmac under sniper fire”!
SpecFX don’t count, 100E,
I’d ‘up-vote’ you… If I could!
“word”
you left out maxine underwater
If she can hump it, no problemo.
Outstanding – good on her.
When I TDY’d to BDE HQ I had a female major who I think was possibly one of the fittest officers I’ve ever worked under.
She did PT with us and all of the sexism lingering in my head from Battalion kinda just vanished when she ran rings around us, swearing like a hooligan the whole time.
She was an outstanding officer. Just Don’t Lower The Standards For Everyone Else.
I knew a female Major at our BDE kinda like you’re describing, she could knock out a humbling amount of pull ups.
Greatest part, one of my Battalion’s Company Commanders was her husband. One day he cops to kinda being a little afraid of her, the Captain is a Ranger qualified Infantry Officer, PT stud!
Needless to say, laughs were had.
Agreed. Do NOT lower the standards, period. They are “standards” for a reason.
Instead pf celebrating the three that passed IOC the left-tards are going to hold up the 31 that failed as evidence of sexism.
Well, that is THEIR curse, Old Dog.
I have never been impressed with spoiled brats like the leftreds.
All kidding aside. She is leading a very important forward deployed asset ready to strike anywhere in ASIA.
I don’t care what her gender is, I need to LT to lead the Marines, make sure shit gets broken and that they kill every enemy they may encounter …
She may be ‘tested’. I bet she does just fine.
Not being Marine, I wonder if she had to attend SERE, and if she did, what level?
Not required!
When you order, “fix bayonets” in the USMC … there are only two outcomes …. being a POW is NOT one of them.
No sarc.
It’s the “being a POW” part that comes into play, and SERE helps (or so it’s supposed to). I thought it was worthwhile. That said, I don’t know what her training menu was.
If anyone, male or female can crack the course and finish it without needing heart surgery or “Special Needs” they have mine and many other bloke’s admiration. The only thing is they must all carry the 50lbs pack and personnel side arm without a sling for the 20 miler and come in under the allotted time. They are also required to carry out the night navigation course in the allotted time. To-date the fail rate is 2 out of every 3 who take the challenge. Otherwise try Admin or Catering. It is no shame to fail, it is shameful to berate those who succeed, or try.
We shall see. What works in good times (peace) doesn’t always work in bad times (war).
SHE CUT THE MUSTARD. Nothing to say but hope she is inspiration. When what you call “real soldiers” are facing hordes of NORKS and Chinks and dying, then tell me women are not soldiers. I was trained that whatever standard you thought your opponent had, he or she was capable of killing you. Do you walk across a battlefield or are you just a bit of the dismembered garbage afer it? I am a soldier and always will be.
Oh boy, whoopee ! She can run fast ! Grrrrreat!
I NEVER could run 6 minute miles even when I was 18 and 160 lbs. Is running fast all that’s needed in the Infantry?
After PT one morning my PL was talking to us SquadLdr’s/PSG in the office telling tales of ROTC and how they used to run until they vomited. I said “That’s stupid!” Well, it didn’t go over well with him. [I’m not properly motivated,etc.] After we left my PSG told him to shut up and leave me alone since “SSG W. may not be the first one up the hill, but he’s really important when he get’s there!” Later during a MILES attack up a hill, the LT took off up the hill like a bat out of hell [dragging the poor RTO along] and got immediately “killed.” Me and my guys MANUEVERED up the hill safely/quickly and took it. I looked down at his MILES whistling ass and laughed as I went by him and the “dead” RTO….