Women In Combat Arms
by U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Ryan Schmid October
17,
2022
Modern successful militaries have one thing
in common: each value the contributions of women in all occupational
specialties. One military community seeing an increase of women
within its ranks is combat arms. It is more common because
courageous pioneers in this field have proven women can take the
fight to the enemy.
Lance Cpl. Charisse Briguera, an infantry
Marine with Delta Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance, 4th
Marine Division, and Uruguayan Marine Corps Private Marino Milagros
Correa ... are two examples of woman in combat arms who are serving
as force multipliers for their countries. The two met while training
alongside each other during exercise UNITAS LXIII.
September 18, 2022 - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Charisse Briguera, right, a rifle Marine with Delta Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force UNITAS LXIII with
Uruguayan Marine Corps Private Marina Milagros Correa during exercise UNITAS LXIII aboard the USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19). (Image
created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Intriago.)
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UNITAS is the world's longest-running
multinational maritime exercise that focuses on enhancing
interoperability among multiple nations and joint forces during
littoral and amphibious operations in order to build on existing
regional partnerships and create new enduring relationships that
promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the U.S. Southern
Command's area of responsibility (i.e., Latin America and the
Caribbean).
One initiative that U.S. Marine Corps Forces,
South and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command highlighted in the
exercise is the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Program. The
initiative is based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325,
adopted in October 2000, which “reaffirms the important role of
women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace
negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response,
and in post-conflict reconstruction.” It also encourages the equal
participation of women and the incorporation of gender perspectives
in U.N. peace and security efforts.
“Female servicewomen from
the region, and world for that matter, enhance the mission through
their unique contributions and they do so without lowering the
military standards,” said U.S. Air Force Major Aries Hopf, WPS Chief
at USSOUTHCOM. “These women serve alongside their male counterparts
in the same conditions, with the same challenges, and for the same
goals – to better themselves, their countries, and the overall
security of the region.”
Exercise UNITAS LXIII (63), hosted
this year in Brazil, provided the two women an opportunity to train
as part of the multinational force and showcase the value women
offer to the combat-arms community. The two experienced how
countries train together in support of operations as well as duty
aboard the San-Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa
Verde (LPD 19) where Correa embarked along with several other
nations as part of a combined force.
Briguera knew the road
to becoming an infantry Marine was going to be strenuous, but she
was dedicated enough to endure the trials and tribulations required
to succeed. Although she received a lot of encouragement and support
along the way, she was also met with some resistance.
“I was
the only female, along with 100 men, I had several Marines come up
to me and tell me ‘you don’t belong here, you’re a female, you’re
weaker,’” said Briguera. “But I told them, ’Hey, I passed the
standard.’”
Briguera’s goal was not so different from Correa’s.
She also wanted to serve in combat arms occupation but was
originally told she would not make the cut.
“My dad is an old
head, so he told me I couldn’t do it, that I don’t belong there. I
wanted to join to prove that women can do it,” said Correa.
Correa’s father was very hesitant of her joining due to a perception
of women’s ability to perform alongside men. Despite her father’s
warning not to join, she insisted on being in combat arms.
Briguera’s husband was apprehensive like Correa’s father, but
Briguera and Correa both knew it was the life they wanted. It was an
ambition calling and a drive within that led both to break socially
constructed boundaries. Before Briguera joined the military, she
worked with the Marine Corps’ Officer Candidate School and The Basic
School. That experience ignited her passion to become an infantry
Marine.
“Before I joined, I was actually working for the
Marine Corps as a role player and started when I was 18. I’ve been
working for them for 10 years now,” said Briguera. “That inspired me
to join. I have so much respect for the Marine Corps, like how they
conduct their operations and train with discipline, and it made me
fall in love with what they do.”
Just like Briguera’s passion
for the Marine Corps, Correa grew up within a military household
that influenced her passion to serve. The military was a part of
their lives prior to joining and influenced their decision to be
part of the organization and their determination to be in combat
arms.
“My dad and grandpa were in the military, so I grew up
in a military household. I always thought it was cool to join the
military,” said Correa. “I wanted to follow in my family’s footsteps
and also wanted to prove my father wrong by showing that I can make
it in the military.”
A year has passed since Correa enlisted
and she still enjoys what she does. “I like it a lot; it can be a
lot of work sometimes. (Exercises like UNITAS) can be tiring to my
body, but I enjoy it,” she said. Similar to Correa, Briguera has
also been in for a year. She enjoys the rigorous training with the
job as well.
“For me, it took several years and now I’ve made
it. It’s the best feeling,” said Briguera. “You can give me any job,
any working party, I won’t complain because it’s what I signed up
for.”
Even coming from different countries and backgrounds,
the two women have many traits in common. They both had to overcome
adverse opinions to pursue the same goal. Briguera and Correa have
proven women in combat arms are the new norm. During exercise
UNITAS, the two marines bonded through their time on the ship and by
participating in challenging training events. In the true spirit of
UNITAS, relationships were built, and friendships were formed, due
to shared experiences and shared values.
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