A top Marine general says he believes the military will eventually be pressured to lower standards for women if any significant number of them could advance in combat jobs like the Marine infantry.
Gen. John Kelly, head of U.S. Southern Command, tells reporters that there will be “great pressure” to reduce standards because he says that’s the only way more than a few women will succeed.
Defense Department officials have vowed that standards for combat jobs will not be lowered to admit women.
The Marine Corps sought to keep certain infantry and combat jobs closed to women citing studies showing combined-gender units are not as effective as male-only units. The Marines were overruled by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who opened all combat jobs to women.
