WASHINGTON -- "The entire Marine Corps is dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of combat readiness and capitalizing upon every opportunity to enhance our warfighting capabilities and the contributions of every Marine; it's simply the right thing to do. Our ongoing deliberate, measured and responsible approach to validate occupational performance standards for all Marines is consistent with SECDEF's decision to rescind the direct combat exclusion rule for women. As our Corps moves forward with this process, our focus will remain on combat readiness and generating combat-ready units while simultaneously ensuring maximum success for every Marine. The talent pool from which we select our finest warfighters will consist of all qualified individuals, regardless of gender."
Gen. James F. Amos
Commandant of the Marine Corps