The Marine Corps' new physical fitness standards requiring female Marines to do pullups were to go into effect New Year's Day. But because of the high failure rate of women Marines attempting to complete pullups, that requirement has been delayed.
According to a Headquarters Marine Corps announcement, females Marines will be allowed to perform the flexed arm hang instead of pullups for their 2014 physical fitness test (PFT).
As Home Post previously reported, the Marine Corps announced Nov. 27, 2012 in a service-wide message that its female recruits would need to execute at least three pullups to pass the PFT, starting Jan. 1, 2014.
The first phase of the new requirements began on Jan. 1, 2013, which served as a transitional period allowing women to do either pullups or the flexed-arm hang as part of PFT.
But, as NPR reports, women are not able to do pullups at the rate the Corps had hope:
Fifty-five percent of female recruits tested at the end of boot camp were doing fewer than three pullups; only 1 percent of male recruits failed the test. The three pullups is already the minimum required for all male Marines.
Capt. Laura Perazzola, regional planner for Marine Forces Europe, told Stars and Stripes she plans to put the postponement of the pullup requirement to good use:
“The issue isn’t one of capability. But it’s about small-unit leadership and ensuring those leaders are getting their Marines up to par."
Considering women are strong enough to endure labor (sometimes up to 72 hours' worth) and childbirth, I'm guessing they'll be able to master the pullup at some point in the near future...
