Posted on Jul 7, 2015
Capt Lance Gallardo
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mes.com/story/military/2015/07/07/kate-germano-fired-marine-corps-female-recruit-unit-commander/29763371/
Posted in these groups: B04bb539 Marines
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Responses: 11
Sgt Jay Jones
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I read the article with great interest. Personally, I don't see where the Officer did anything that any great Leader would not do! She went in assessed the situation and made the necessary changes, produced results.

Since when did the Marine Corps become touchy feely?

We are Marines, heck I guess my Drill Instructors should have been fired also.

I think she got railroaded!
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Cpl Ehr Specialist
Cpl (Join to see)
9 y
As my former Co. GySgt. counseled me on more than one occasion, "Great Initiative, Bad Judgement"

I think that the Lt. Col. was attempting to make the changes she wanted too fast. Those kind of changes have to be taken in moderation as can be seen by the over-reaction of the command. I think if she had scaled back a touch and worked on improvements at a more scaled rate she would still have seen success and may be still in a position to influence continued success.
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Capt Jeff S.
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Edited 9 y ago
I can't follow that link you posted. nvm Figured out that it was militarytimes.com

Sounds like she was a tough cookie and simply holding the women to the same standards men are held to. Is there something wrong with that if women are expected to fill combat roles?
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Cpl Christopher Bishop
Cpl Christopher Bishop
9 y
Ditto.
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SSgt Jim Rooth
SSgt Jim Rooth
9 y
From what I understood from the article, the Lt. Col. might have made some poor choices but I saw no reason for such a drastic recourse such as firing. Having said that, her immediate CO had a much better prospective than this article provides. Even if there were personality clashes between the two officers, I find it really hard to believe that they would have been able to achieve their ranks or status without being able to overcome such clashes. Were there no counseling letters from the Col. to the Lt. Col. about these matters? Or was she thrown under the bus? I would be very surprised if that was the case. Then again, I am surprised that the Battalion Commander would berate a recruit...I always thought that was why she had Company Commanders and Drill Instructors. Perhaps one of those poor choices...
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SSgt Jeremy Eddy
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First off, for anyone interested, the proper link:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/07/07/kate-germano-fired-marine-corps-female-recruit-unit-commander/29763371/

There wasn't anything in that article that would make me decide to fire the Lt. Col.

"...by publicly berating and showing contempt for subordinates, bullying Marines and singling them out for under-performance." With this reasoning, every drill instructor ever should have been fired from their job.

"Germano also "reinforced gender bias and stereotypes" in the minds of her Marines by telling them on several occasions that male Marines would not take orders from them and would see them as inferior if they could not meet men's physical standards, the investigation found." That's just telling the truth. I would also expand that to admit male Marines would not take orders from other male Marines if they could not meet the physical standards of the Marine Corps. 'Oh, you're 300lbs and collapse after running a mile and a half? No, I don't think I will follow you into battle; I'll lead instead.'

"A May 18 "request mast" memo submitted to Williams, the depot commander, shows that Germano believed these efforts were being undermined by her immediate superior, Recruit Training Regiment commander Col. Daniel Haas." Unfortunately, in my experience, a request mast pretty much ends your current billet, whether you were right or wrong.

Its a shame. It looks like she was genuinely making positive changes for both male and female recruits.
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Capt Jeff S.
Capt Jeff S.
9 y
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Cpl Elizabeth Koeneman
Cpl Elizabeth Koeneman
9 y
My drill instructors told us basically the same thing. They were reinforcing that we should never use our gender as an excuse to not be just as good as the men. Of course, refusing to admit I was not as strong as the men in my shop caused me to permanently screw up my shoulder, but that was my fault for being stupid. (Lifting boxes full of gear that were supposed to be two-man lifts, but I was alone and needed something from the very bottom box, oops)
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SGT Gary Tob
SGT Gary Tob
>1 y
What do people expect with the snow flake generation? I wonder what would happen these days if my DIs (Sgt. Lumpkin and Wade) were to throw Pvt1 Lane out the window (bunk included) for missing revelry for a week. 2nd story window at Ft. Ord 1969
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