Military Review English Edition March-April 2015 | Page 53

WOMEN IN THE INFANTRY

and strain of combat deplete that reservoir and result
in the loss of muscle mass and strength.31 This follows Capt. Katie Petronio’s often cited experience as a
Marine engineer officer in Afghanistan.
Although once a college athlete, the load-bearing
work and continuous operating tempo Petronio experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan degraded her body to
a detrimental level.32 Ultimately, she suffered from a
compressed spine and muscle atrophy at a higher rate
than her male Marine counterparts.33 Capt. Petronio
concluded: “I can say with 100 percent assurance that
despite my accomplishments, there is no way I could
endure the physical demands of the infantrymen whom
I worked beside … .”34 This is consistent with studies showing women at higher risk for stress fractures
resulting from long-term physical exertion of carrying
combat loads.35 This also correlates with an Army
study showing the injury rate for women in Army Basic
Combat Training at 50 percent, while only 25 percent
for men.36 Likewise, since requiring female recruits to
undergo combat training in 1983, the attrition rate for
female recruits at Marine Corps boot camp increased
to almost double that of their male counterparts.37
(U. S. Marine Corps photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Paul S. Mancuso)

Marines from the Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry–
East, navigate the obstacle course at Camp Geiger, N.C., 4 October
2013. This is the first company at the school with female students
as part of collection of data on the performance of female Marines
executing existing infantry tasks and training events.

Second, over a period of sustained combat operations, infantrymen endure fatigue, sleep deprivation,
high caloric expenditures, and environmental extremes.
These factors create the catabolic stress on bodies that
results in muscle loss.26 In addition to his combat-related functions, today’s infantryman can expect to carry a
combat load exceeding 90 pounds.27 As noted combat
historian Col. S.L.A. Marshall observed, “On the field
of battle, man is not only a thinking animal, he is a
beast of burden … [whose] chief function in war does
not begin until the time he delivers that burden to the
appointed ground.”28 Over time, combat stressors take
a toll on the body.
Some argue that the increased athletic performance
of women indicates a physical capability for ground
combat.29 But, the purpose of physical training is to
establish a basic fitness level and provide a reservoir of
strength for combat.30 The constant physical exertion
MILITARY REVIEW  March-April 2015

The Economics
Military tests revealing the physical disparity
between men and women, especially with regard to
upper body strength, are not new.38 Most supporters
for allowing women to serve in the infantry recognize
the discrepancies in physical strength between men and
women, but they point out that not all men are physically suited for combat service either. They contend
that if a woman is physically capable, she should be
allowed to serve in an infantry unit.39 However, to say
that not all men are suited for ground combat service
is not the issue. Not all men are medically suitable for
even general military service. Moreover, the basic medical requirements for a male’s induction into the Army
do not distinguish between infantry and non-infantry
assignments.40 Historically, if a man passed the induction physical, he was presumed fit for infantry service.41
However, assuming some women are able to meet the
physical tests for infantry service, the economics of this
endeavor will make it cost-prohibitive.
The costs to test and evaluate every woman who
wants to be in the infantry will not be inconsequential.
In 2008, the Army reported the cost of training a combat
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