New in 2021: New year will see female recruits in San Diego and more boot camp gender-integration December 31, 2020 Sgt. Jamel Munden, a martial arts instructor with Support Battalion, supervises recruits of Papa Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, as they practice martial arts April 23, 2018, on Parris Island, South Carolina. (Cpl. Joseph Jacob/Marine Corps) For the first time in history, 2021 will see women attend boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. In February one platoon of women will join Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, training alongside platoons of male recruits. The organization will be similar to at least nine coed companies that have trained through Parris Island, South Carolina, since January 2019.
By CAITLIN M. KENNEY | STARS AND STRIPES Published: October 20, 2020 WASHINGTON The University of Pittsburgh is conducting a study to determine the best way for the Marine Corps to approach gender integration at its two boot camps, the service announced Tuesday. The study comes as the Marine Corps faces a looming deadline set in the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that mandates the service end gender-segregated training within five years at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., and integrate training within eight years at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif. The Marine Corps wants “an independent, scientifically credible study of the models of entry-level military training to identify potential alternatives to increase gender integration of entry-level training,” Bradley Nindl, a co-principal investigator and senior adviser for the study, said in a statement issued Tuesday.