Marine Corps Base Quantico -- On Jan. 6, Marine Corps Training and Education Command, based out of Marine Corps Base Quantico, released a MARADMIN announcing a one-word change to Marine Corps Order 6100.13, which governs the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Program.
The previous version of the order contained the following statement: “Marines will fulfill the PFT/CFT [physical fitness test/combat fitness test] requirement after the 42-day (post-partum) convalescent period and no later than 6 months after return to full duty.” The revised wording swaps out “later” for “earlier,” meaning female Marines cannot be required to take a PFT or CFT before the end of their 6-month recovery period. First Lt. Matthew Rojo, a TECOM spokesman, said the change came about as a result of requests from fleet units to clarify the wording.
The Physical Fitness Program order encourages female Marines to participate in a physician-approved exercise routine during pregnancy to maintain their physical fitness to the best of their ability. However, it is not always possible for female Marines to exercise regularly — or sometimes at all — during pregnancy, due to various complications such as exhaustion, nausea and vomiting, and high blood pressure.
Maj. Rebecca Spahr, inspector general for 3rd Marine Logistics Group, said she ran and swam regularly during her first pregnancy, but due to complications during and after the pregnancy that she believes were caused by the strenuous exercise, she was only able to exercise on a reduced scale during her second pregnancy. Medical problems resulted after her second child was born anyway, and it took her a full year to recover completely and be able to resume full physical activity at the level needed to meet Marine Corps standards.
Spahr was previously a Commandant of the Marine Corps Fellow and wrote a master’s thesis titled “Of Gender and Generals: Policy Recommendations to Enhance the Development and Retention of Female Marine Officers,” which was reviewed within Marine Corps University.
An advocate for increased discussion about how best to support and retain Marines with families, she had this to say about the issues behind the policy change: “Marines who have recently given birth are already facing an enormous amount of stress. Having a new baby at home, returning to work after maternity leave, and dealing with the stigma that comes with pregnancy in the Marine Corps are just the tip of the iceberg. The prospect of having to lose weight, get back into shape, and run a PFT/CFT with a pre-pregnancy score just piles on more stress for many women.”
Upon release from the hospital after delivery, Marines are authorized 42 days of convalescent leave to remain at home with their infants. At that point, barring any complications, they are typically returned to a full-duty status and are supposed to be given six months to resume an exercise routine and meet Marine Corps weight and physical fitness standards.
The former wording of the order, however, was ambiguous — did Marines get a full six months to recover and train after returning to full duty, or was six months the maximum time they could be allowed at senior leaders’ discretion, and they could in fact be forced to test earlier?
An enlisted female Marine who did not wish to be identified in this story, for fear of reprisal, said that as soon as she came off of her 6-week convalescent period, senior enlisted personnel in her unit required her to participate in unit physical training and perform the same activities the other Marines were doing. “If they were doing a 3-mile run, I was doing the run,” she said. She also said they made her take the PFT and CFT before the end of the 6-month recovery period.
Sgt. Biannca Clarke, an assistant monitor with Manpower Management Officer Assignments at MCBQ, said shortly after her first child was born, in 2010 during one of her previous tours, the unit got word of an inspection. Rather than simply excusing her from the inspection, her senior leaders directed her to start exercising immediately and to pay out of her own pocket to have her service alpha uniform tailored so it wouldn’t look like she was overweight for the inspection.
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Leigh Williams, a manpower officer at Marine Forces Command, said she had her first child when she was a corporal. She was up for reenlistment shortly after her daughter was born, and despite having a 287 PFT score in her record, she was forced to take a PFT 12 weeks after giving birth. The intense activity, in combination with pressure she put on herself to get back in shape quickly to meet Marine Corps standards, resulted in an injury that required surgery. Later in her career she had two other children and did not feel any external pressure to train right away, though she did choose to start exercising on her own at a more measured pace once she came off of convalescent leave.
Williams said she feels the policy change is a good thing, because junior Marines feel the pressure to begin training right away, and they really should have a full six months to get back in shape.
Spahr also praised the announcement of the change, saying, “This policy change is a step in the right direction as the Marine Corps looks to recruit, develop and retain more women leaders.”
Clarke, too, was appreciative of the change, saying “now women will have a full six months to recover, rather than just 4½ or less.” She further stated, “Every pregnancy is different, every delivery is different, but most importantly, we as individuals also recover differently; therefore, Marines must be aware of the challenges that others may face due to the multitude of complications that can happen during delivery and recovery. It is extremely important for our female Marines to understand that we must communicate effectively with our doctors and our commands to ensure we are able to return to the standards safely and comfortably within the time frame allotted. This change in the order is a step in the right direction to achieve a more supporting environment for the women in the Corps.”
— Writer: ebaker@quanticosentryonline.com