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Recent talks suggest the Marine Corps may retire gender identifiers from its drill instructors, a move that has raised eyebrows from both sides of the debate. On one side is a group advocating for greater equality in the armed forces for both women and men, citing that such a change would result in fairer “treatment” no matter one’s gender. On the opposite end are those who see this as an erosion of military tradition and tradition bound ideals that Marines have adhered to for centuries. 

The Marine Corps is currently exploring potential raking identifiers to their approach to gender inclusivity which goes beyond just removing gender identifiers from drill instructors. Despite this, leaders are not so enthused about this idea. No matter what outcome ensues it will surely be one of the most discussed topics in this day and age as we continue to develop as other military services have cowardly done away with gender identifiers. 

Marine Corps Times reports, New academic research on Marine Corps boot camp integration recommends ditching gender-specific salutations for drill instructors, but service leaders aren’t convinced they want to do so.

News Nation reported on this woke suggestion.

In the University of Pittsburgh study, the Marine Corps boot camp is geared towards male recruits and male Marines are considered standard.

The five sections of service history taught at boot camp do not explicitly mention female Marines, and “core values” guided discussions provide examples of real-world heroism and leadership from male Marines and sailors.

These examples paint a picture of a Marine Corps in transition.

Until 2019, all female recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, were trained in a single battalion. The Marine Corps now trains women at both boot camps, but training materials have been slow to adapt.

Researchers suggest that substituting a neutral “drill instructor” for “sir” and “ma’am” might curb such behavior.

The authors write that “Gender-neutral identifiers are an unambiguous, impartial way to circumvent these issues. Employing gender-neutral identifiers eliminates the possibility of misgendering drill instructors, which can unintentionally offend or cause discord.By teaching recruits to use gender-neutral identifiers for their drill instructors, Services underscore the importance of respecting authoritative figures regardless of gender.”

The gender identifiers proposal was one of a half-dozen recommendations the Marines’ entry-level training advisory council is now considering. It’s not clear when the service will decide which ones to pursue.

When we talk about the modern military, the conversation should be around combat readiness, tactics and training. Introducing gender inclusive language is a waste of valuable resources that could instead be used to improve security at home bases or direct training opportunities to recruits. The US Marine Corps recently spent $2 million on research which advised them on using gender inclusive language which is outrageous considering our service members should be well-equipped with respect to training and resources rather than debating semantics. In any case, if a recruit’s primary concern is their gender, then maybe they should consider how that might affect their value as a service member and if they are best suited for a career in the military. 

Let’s continue this conversation, in the comments below.