Projects

Project Overview

The U.S. Marine Corps funded this study to provide an assessment of the Marine Corps’ current approach to gender integration at entry-level training (ELT) and make recommendations for models that integrate genders to the greatest extent possible while continuing to train Marines to established standards. Specifically, this work addresses the sociological effects of increased gender integration and considers training models that maintain the established levels of discipline, physical fitness, attention to detail, and camaraderie. Insight joins a larger team of universities and academic scholars, drawing on interdisciplinary expertise and methodologies to study gender integration and Marine Corps ELT, including military sociology, sports medicine and science, military physiology, and injury epidemiology.

The study uses a mixed-methods research approach to provide objective, data-driven recommendations for ELT models for Marine Corps recruits. Data are being collected from both Marine Corps Recruit Depots Paris Island and San Diego and other Military Services’ recruit training sites. The results of the study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and used as a reference and resource for future ELT planning for the Marine Corps.

Products

Final report; peer-reviewed journal publication