Marines Delay Female Fitness Plan After Half Fail

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than half of female Marines in boot camp can't do three pullups, the new minimum standard. So the Corps is delaying the requirement.

All the service branches are working on devising standards, training and other policies needed to open thousands of combat roles to women in 2016.

A Marine spokeswoman, Capt. Maureen Krebs, says no new timetable has been set on the delayed requirement on pullups. But she says training officials will continue to gather data on the issue this year.

With the new year, all female Marines were supposed to be able to do at least three pullups for their annual fitness test. But among recruits in basic training at Parris Island in South Carolina, only 45 percent of women could do that many.

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