MARINES CO-ED COMBAT EXPERIMENT COMES TO TWENTYNINE PALMS

The Marine Corps’ unprecedented experiment on co-ed combat has moved from the forests of North Carolina to Twentynine Palms. A special gender-integrated task force is undergoing a grueling training regimen. The goal is to help Marine leaders decide whether all combat jobs should be opened to women. It’s part of a military-wide assessment process that’s set to culminate in final decisions being made by year’s end. Participants say about halfway into the experiment, women in the task force have gained speed, precision and familiarity next to their more-experienced male counterparts.