The U.S. Marine Corps is set to rename several job titles to reflect the service-wide integration of women into combat roles, according to a report.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus ordered a review of job titles in a January letter to Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller. The Marines will rename a total of 19 military occupational specialties as a result of the review, Marine Corps Times reported.
Most occupation name changes will replace “man” with “Marine.” For example, “basic infantry man” will now be “basic infantry Marine.”
However, some occupational terms like “rifleman” and “mortarman” will remain unchanged, as they have historical context. A Marine official told Marine Corps Times under the condition of anonymity that “Names that were not changed, like rifleman, are steeped in Marine Corps history and ethos.”
Others, like manpower officer, keep the term “man” because it doesn’t describe the Marine operating the job.
“As we achieve full integration of the force … this is an opportunity to update the position titles and descriptions themselves to demonstrate through this language that women are included in these [military occupational specialties],” Mabus wrote in his letter to Neller.
The Marine Corps will update its military occupational specialty manual to include the alteration, however several names remain unchanged as they already include a gender-neutral title.
The Navy is also removing up to 21 gender-biased titles. No decisions have been made yet but the Navy has called for a second review.
A service-wide announcement regarding the Marine Corps change is expected within the next few days.
