Critics of the controversial Marine Corps study on the integration of women into infantry units are questioning whether the study was skewed against female Marines from the start.

One hundred women and 300 men participated in the Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force, a nine-month study that tested how well women could seamlessly integrate into Marine infantry units. The summary of the results leaked last month suggested that female Marines did not perform well and that the Marine Corps would use that study to request an exemption from opening combat jobs to women.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced that women would be integrated into the Marine Corps despite the study, citing issues he had with the study’s methodology and conclusions. While many Marines have condemned Mabus and called for his resignation, others close to the study have come forward to express the same concern.

One source explained to Military.com that women had less experience going into the study than men and were prevented from forming any bonds with their ever-shifting units.

No women were sent to infantry units. Instead, all-male and female/male units were formed for each physical task or mission. The women had been trained in the Marine Corps Infantry Training Battalion course. Most of the males were seasoned infantrymen.

The teams were never made up of the same members from one task to the next, the Marine sources said.

Critics argue that it’s almost impossible to build unit cohesion in such a short period of time.

“Unit cohesion breeds performance. If one person sees another person performing, they want to perform to that level, and if one person isn’t performing to a level, they all help that person improve,” according to a U.S. Army source who is familiar with the study and spent a career in direct-action special operations units.

 

The military has until the end of 2015 to decide whether or not to grant the Marine Corps the exemption it is gunning for.

Are these critics right to call foul on this important study? Air your grievances in the comments.