Marines in Afghanistan are now using a strategy deemed successful in Iraq: an all-female unit to inter-act with women and children. The 3rd Battalion, 8th Regiment has begun to use the unit as it deploys into villages in hopes of winning hearts and minds. $FILE/įemale Marine serving as Machine Gunner in Iraq as part of Lioness program:ĪL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq – A city girl from coastal California shocked her relatives and friends when she became the first in her family to join the Marine Corps in 2005.Ĭpl.Ĭultural taboos would largely keep male Marines from speaking to Afghan women and girls. Aguilar started her Marine Corps career as a supply clerk at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., and shortly thereafter deployed to Iraq in 2006.ĭuring her 2006 deployment, Aguilar stepped out of the warehouse and into the ranks of an infantry unit to serve as a female searcher as a Lioness. The Lioness program was introduced earlier in Operation Iraqi Freedom to ease cultural sensitivities over interaction between Coalition forces and Iraqi females, and Aguilar jumped at the chance to serve with an all-male infantry unit. Her experiences with the grunts had a profound impact on her. “I was already scared as it was, and then we started to get mortared.” “There was a time when we were out in what seemed like the middle of nowhere,” said Aguilar, recalling her first combat experience. “There was a little boy who I had been interacting with,” she said. “He was really scared and wouldn’t leave my side. One of the grunts came back, gave me his flak jacket and told me to put it on the boy. “He had no problem giving up his flak and risking his own safety. That is when I decided I wanted to do a more combat-related. Prior to beginning her next deployment to Iraq, Aguilar volunteered to go through the machine gunner’s course not thinking she, as a female, would be called upon to put these skills to use. Though she had her doubts, Aguilar had already extended her contract to the Marine Corps in hopes of experiencing the deployment from the turret of an armored vehicle. ![]() ![]() “I was really shocked when my name was called and I had been chosen,” Aguilar said.Īguilar was then assigned to Transportation Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 7, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), and deployed for her second tour to Iraq in February 2009. Not only was Aguilar new to the company, she also had to establish her capabilities in the eyes of her male counterparts. “I always felt like they were watching me to see if I knew what I was doing.” “I wasn’t nervous, but I knew I had to prove myself to them when I was taking apart the gun, cleaning it, or doing a test fire,” she said. However, it didn’t take long for the platoon to realize that Aguilar had what it took to be a gunner and could be counted upon to provide fire support if necessary.In an effort to successfully integrate women within the ground combat element as a part of the Women in Service Review, the U.S. RELATED: First Female Jungle Operations Grad Discusses Training 1833 Assault Amphibious Vehicle Crewmember.For the first time, female graduates of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., will be able to volunteer for MOS training in the following specialties: Marine Corps have opened up seven new specialty schools to female graduates.Ī total of seven new military occupational specialty schools are opening to female Marines.
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