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They Survived Training, Now Female Marines Await Word On Ground Combat

JULY 07, 2015 5:01 AM ET

TOM BOWMAN
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Marine Lance Cpls. Julia Carroll (left) and Paula Pineda lift "Carl" — a 220-pound test dummy — during training in March in California. Female Marines have completed months of training and are now waiting to hear whether they will be allowed to serve in combat roles.David Gilkey/NPR

Lance Cpl. Paula Pineda relaxes at a picnic table not far from her barracks in Camp LeJeune, N.C. She's in a crisp uniform and has a ready smile. It's one of the few breaks she's had in months — and she can finally laugh about Carl.

"Carl — our special, heavy, unique dummy," she says.

It was back in March, in the heat of the Mojave Desert in California, that Pineda — sweaty and grimy and just 5-foot-2 — struggled to help pull Carl the dummy out of her armored vehicle, along with another Marine, Julia Carroll. It was part of an exercise to rescue an injured crewman.

Carl weighed 220 pounds.

They also changed tires weighing 170 pounds on the armored vehicles, and hitched up heavy chains and hooks to simulate a towing operation.

The women proved something in their months of tough training, says Pineda, who wore a helmet with the words "Mad Max" taped on the back.

They're ready to serve in ground combat.

"In my opinion, I believe we can do it. The physical part of it, we can all work up for it," says Pineda, who grew up in a tough part of Los Angeles. "As long as we work hard and we're dedicated, we can all get there."

All seven women trained on tanks and armored vehicles, and all made it through to the end. Among them was 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Brittany Dunklee. She's lean with an intense stare. A former high school wrestler, she often took on the boys.

Right now she drives a Marine truck. But she'd rather be a crew member in a light armored vehicle.

"I like shooting the gun, honestly," she says. "It's a big gun and the [M]242 is easy to clean, so that's on the plus side also."

For Dunklee, it all comes down to these simple questions: "I've done it. So why can I not do it? If I can physically do it, why can't I?"

That's what Marine Corps officials are now trying to figure out.

In a yearlong experiment, Marine researchers and researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have collected reams of information on male and female Marines' physical strength, endurance, speed and marksmanship. The data will show whether gender made a difference in the fighting ability of the unit.

Small Marine units attacked with all men, then with one woman, then with two women. The numbers remain low to reflect reality: Women make up just 7 percent of the Marine Corps.



Sgt. Kelly Brown puts her weapon over her shoulder at the Marine base at Twentynine Palms, Calif. in March.David Gilkey/NPR



What the data won't address — but what many of the men talk about privately — is whether having women in units changes the chemistry of the group, or "unit cohesion."

Sgt. Kelly Brown, who trained with Alpha Company, the infantry unit, thinks not.

"After a while, you've been training together for so long, you've been living together and working together and sweating, and everybody's suffering together," she says. "I've had some of the guys I was working with say, 'Hey, I wouldn't have a problem if you were serving with me in combat.' "

Sgt. Ryan McCauley did serve in combat, three tours in Afghanistan. For this training, he served along with a half-dozen women.

"I thought the women performed to the best of their abilities," he says.

And what does that mean?

"Exactly what it is, sir. They performed the best they can, and they did it, and my hat's off to them for finishing all out."

In the end, McCauley said he'd be comfortable serving in combat with just one of the women he trained alongside.

Testing The Standards: Do Gender Differences Matter For Combat?

BACK AT BASE

As Women Try Out For Armor Units, 'If You Can Hack It, You Can Hack It'

BACK AT BASE

Can Female Marines Carry The Load And Kill The Enemy?

BACK AT BASE

In Intense Desert Training, Marine Women Fight For Place On Front Lines

First Sgt. John Dober is the top enlisted man in Alpha Company, the infantry unit. He thinks some of the women were up to the physical challenge.

BACK AT BASE

On The California Shore, Sizing Up Female Marines' Combat Readiness

"Some of the females performed better than some of the other females," Dober says. "Some of the females performed better than some of the males."

Dober says that the training will identify some male Marines who clearly don't belong in the infantry. And it will allow the Marine Corps to make sure future training and selection pinpoints the best candidates to serve in the infantry.

More than 30 percent of the women training in Dober's infantry unit washed out, most due to injuries like stress fractures from carrying heavy packs. That rate is far higher than for the men, some officers say, although the Marines are not releasing any details and are still completing their report.

Dober is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and he's troubled by the high number of physical injuries among the women in a training course that he says is nothing like the real world of infantry combat.

"Close-quarters battle, it's a very ugly thing," Dober says. "It shouldn't be up to opinion or feelings. It should be about who's the best. Could I say [gender] integration will positively and absolutely enhance the combat effectiveness and efficiency of a Marine rifle squad? I doubt it."

Women will begin serving in ground combat jobs starting in January, unless Marine Corps leaders decide otherwise and can get Pentagon leaders to keep some jobs closed.




Lance Cpl. Brittany Holloway (left) talks with Brittany Dunklee in front of their LAV-25 vehicle in March at California's Mojave Desert.David Gilkey/NPR



"Some people look at it as a civil rights issue," says Dober. "I will tell you emphatically and to my grave that it's not a civil rights issue. It's a national security issue."

Actually, it's both.

When the Pentagon decided to open ground combat jobs to women more than two years ago, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this:

"We've been working for well over a year to examine, how can we expand the opportunities for women in the armed services? Female service members have faced the reality of combat, proven their willingness to fight and, yes, to die to defend their fellow Americans."

Still, he added:

"If members of our military can meet the qualifications for a job — and let me be clear, I'm not talking about reducing the qualifications for the job — if they can meet the qualifications for the job, then they should have the right to serve regardless of creed or color or gender or sexual orientation. ... We are all committed to implementing this change without compromising readiness or morale or our warfighting capabilities."

Brown, the sergeant who trained with the Alpha Company infantry unit, thinks women can serve in ground combat — but stresses that officers and sergeants must hold everyone to the same standards.

"You know you're working with someone of another gender and you have to have a certain amount of professionalism," she says. "This has not been tested in combat."

One of those who hopes to be tested is Sgt. Danielle Beck. She's been a Marine for six years, working as a comptroller.

Beck completed the combat training, carrying an anti-tank weapon and sometimes a pack weighing 155 pounds. It left her with a stress fracture on her hip. Right now, she's hobbling around on crutches — but remains determined.

"We've never been able to do this before," says Beck. "This is why I joined the Marine Corps — to be able to fight and serve along[side] our brothers in arms."

Beck should know later this year whether that will be possible.


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Netherlands Union Lists Job Opening for Female or Male Pastors

23 December 2014 | JARED WRIGHT

The Netherlands Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is seeking a full-time pastor for Dutch-speaking churches, according to a job listing posted today on the union's website. The listing, posted by NUC Executive Secretary Tom de Bruin, calls for female and male candidates to apply.

The Trans-European Division, the parent organization of the Netherlands Union Conference, has been among the leading entities in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination moving forward on the issue of women's ordination. The division's website notes that the matter of women’s ordination for ministry has been under discussion in the TED at least since 1968.

The website's Statement on Women's Ordination to the Pastoral Ministry states that after considering the recommendations of regular councils for female pastoral workers, "salaries, employment conditions, titles, and job descriptions for male and female pastoral workers have been made more and more equal in many unions."

The Netherlands Union Conference has made moves to include more women in pastoral ministry. In September of 2013, the NUC was the first union in Europe to ordain a woman, Guisèle Berkel-Larmonie. The current job listing provides another opportunity for a woman to serve as a pastor. The listing includes the following stipulations:

Open to: Any Adventist pastor (female or male) with an MA in Theology from a European Adventist University, preferably Newbold College.
Position: Pastor for Dutch-speaking churches, coach for Dutch-speaking church plants
Closing Date: Friday, January 16th, 2015
Work Hours: Full-time
Salary: Per the denominational salary scale
As per: March 1st, 2015

Applicants must have the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration.

POSITION

1-year contract with the prospect of a permanent position
Responsible for leading existing Dutch-speaking churches and/or groups.
Responsible for setting up new Dutch-speaking church plants.

QUALIFICATIONS

All applicants must clearly address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. Applications with incomplete information will be deemed unqualified.

Applicant must be a member of the SDA Church.
Applicant must be a citizen of an EU-28 country, Norway or Switzerland.
Education: MA Theology at a European Adventist University, preferably Newbold College.
Experience in leading churches or church planting is an asset.
Ordination is preferred but not required. Young pastors (under 40) are preferred. Female applicants will have our preference over male applicants in case of equal competence.
Language requirements: C1 in English, B2 in Dutch (or should be able to achieve this level within one year).
Job Knowledge: general knowledge of the Dutch culture and customs.
Skills and Abilities: A valid European driving license is required. Good computer skills are desirable. Must have basic Microsoft Office knowledge and be familiar with report writing and spreadsheets. Must be able to work independently and adapt to changing circumstances. Must have strong organizational and social skills. Must be able to deliver spiritual leadership from an Adventist perspective. Must be able to work in intercultural settings and build bridges between cultures.

SELECTION PROCESS

Qualified European citizens receive preference in hiring. It is essential that the candidates address the required qualifications above in the application. Candidates who are eligible for invitation will take part in an in-house assessment, including five peer assessments using a personality survey to be supplied. Candidates will also submit five letters of reference about their functioning in church situations.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants for this position must submit the following in English or Dutch (no Google translation) to jdenhollander@adventist.nl:

A letter of application.
A current resumé or curriculum vitae.
Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
A copy of your passport showing your age and country of birth.
A recent picture.
For additional information, contact the Ministerial Association Department, (+31) 30 6939375.

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A Church Divided: Ruling Ends Va.'s Episcopal Battle

by Barbara Bradley Hagerty


Barbara Bradley Hagerty for NPR

Tale Of Two Churches: The St. Stephen's Church in Heathsville, Va., has been at the center of an ugly custody battle between the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and the newly affiliated St. Stephen's Anglican Church

April 10, 2012


On a bright Sunday morning in the tiny town of Heathsville, Va., Jeffrey Cerar surveys the church he's preached in for the past 15 years — its 130-year-old wooden pews, its stained glass windows, its paschal candles, its cross.

"Virtually everything you see here is going to stay; the high altar, the credence table, the hymnals and books of common prayer will all stay," he says. "The Bibles will go with us.

"Cerar, rector of St. Stephen's Anglican Church, is leaving, along with his congregation. They're handing the keys over to their theological rivals, the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Earlier this year, a judge ruled that seven conservative Virginia congregations that had split with the Episcopal Church must hand over almost everything they own. It's like the end of a marriage, with people moving out and splitting up assets — even its own long, ugly battle.


Read more


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Only the Church?

by La Sierra University Church
7 months ago: Sun, Feb 27, 2011 10:32am EST (Eastern Standard Time)

Only the Church? from La Sierra University Church on Vimeo.

Pastor Chris Oberg preaches during Church@9:30, February 26, 2011, "Only the Church?" 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.

Chris Oberg, speaks Sunday morning June 27, 2010

Christy Oberg, senior pastor of the La Sierra University church speaks Sunday morning at the General Conference Session in Atlanta. [Photo: Gerry Chudleigh]

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.http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventistnewsnetwork/page97/

South Central's First Female Pastors

07/03/10


(L-R) Pastor Lola Moore, President Dana Edmond, Pastor Josie Frampton, First Lady, Jill Edmond at the 59th General Conference Session, Atlanta, GA (Photo: M. Harpe)

I am grateful to announce the first females added to our pastoral staff in the history of our conference, Pastors Lola Moore (Assistant Pastor, Oakwood University SDA Church) and Josian Frampton (Assistant Pastor, Birmingham Ephesus).

We take this historic step, not to be politically correct, but for the following reasons:

1. We believe that it is the Conference Administration’s responsibility to get the very best people that we can find to work in the South Central Conference, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, etc.

2. We believe that the more diversified our staff is, the more people we can reach with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I recognize that this represents a major change in how ministry is done in the South Central Conference. Often, change is difficult. I recognize that this particular change represents a seismic shift that not everyone may be prepared to accept immediately. I can personally relate to that-once upon a time, I was not prepared to accept this kind of change.

But I believe that the end of the day, the people of this conference will give to these ladies the same opportunity that it gave to me and all of our other male Pastors: The opportunity to prove the call of God upon their lives.

These ladies are gifted, spiritual young people, whom I believe will be an asset and a blessing to the mission of the South Central Conference, which is, to paraphrase that old AYS aim, “The Advent message to all our conference in this generation.”

Elder D. C. Edmond, President South Central Conference

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Elder Michael A. Harpe
Director of Communication
South Central Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
http://www.scc-adventist.org/
michael.harpe@scc-adventist.org

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21).

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Source: http://www.scc-adventist.org/news-press-releases-detail.cfm?id=776

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P.S. Meanwhile, at the General Conference Session one of the subjects of diversion was the ordination of women as Deacons? While all over the place they are ordaining women pastors as if there was a thus saith the Lord to support this paradigm shift. No, they aren't "trying to be politically correct"; They're following another principle: "When you go to Rome, do as the Romans do".

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Thank God for the Bible! Thank God for discernment - Thank God for His faithful servants, and the eleventh hour remnant that have not bent the knee to Baal. They have no guile in their mouths......

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Arsenio.

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P.S. II:

South Central's First Female Pastors? How about calling themselves SWP (Sisters with Pulpits), straight out of South Central? Or, maybe Females in the Hood? How about, G's in the House?

The possibilities for this topsy turvy situation are endless. Might as well make light of this end time phenomenon.

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.Maranatha.

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