A Royal Marine has gone public with his concerns that standards are being lowered for female trainees, claiming lives could be at risk and that he was treated like a terrorist for raising his worries. The Telegraph has more.
The Royal Marines have become embroiled in a row over the role of women on the front line.
In a highly unusual move, a serving member of the elite corps has publicly raised concerns about the possible lowering of standards for female trainees and claimed that lives could be at risk if Britain goes to war.
The commando has claimed that up to 1,000 of his fellow Marines backed a private letter to military chiefs raising fears that diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) policies were in danger of creating an “unrecognisable, weak and compromised version of the corps”.
The letter claimed that some women at the Commando Training Centre were being “artificially pushed through training”, resulting in what was described as “unearned paper-passes”.
In a video subsequently posted online, the commando – who does not give his name – said: “We believe that we have the high standards that we keep for [a] very important reason, which is to prevent Marines from being killed in dangerous situations when we go to war. … We are concerned that those standards are being dropped.”
He also alleges that after raising concerns with his chain of command about the lowering of physical fitness standards for female recruits, he was treated “like a terrorist and a criminal”.
This included being briefly held by police under counter-terrorism legislation.
“I ask them: ‘Am I being detained?’ They say: ‘No, you’re not being detained, but we’re holding you here under the Terrorism Act. And I’m just shaking my head in this instance. And I said: ‘Have I committed any acts of terrorism? Am I expected to commit any acts of terrorism?’ And they said: ‘No, we have you here because of your views,’” he states in the video.
A defence source said that the intervention of counter-terror police was unconnected with the petition or concerns about diversity, but related to the commando’s political views.
The ban on women serving in ground close combat roles was lifted by David Cameron, the then Prime Minister, in 2016.
Two years later, Gavin Williamson, the defence minister at the time, announced that all military roles, including those in the Marines, would be open to female recruits.
The Ministry of Defence denies any positive discrimination – pointing out that to date, not a single woman has completed the gruelling 32-week Royal Marines training.
Seven women have succeeded at the shorter 13-week All Arms Commando Course, including Royal Navy officer Lt Lily-Mae Fisher.
In June 2022, Lt Fisher earned her green beret, which is worn exclusively by those who pass the commando course. It is understood she is the only current serving female Royal Navy Commando.
A number of women do serve in the elite corps in other roles, while hundreds of others are attempting to enter the service.
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