The Washington Post‘s Finally In, Facing New Fight tells the story of a group of female Marine recruits — and shares some interesting statistics:
In 1985, when a recruit named Anita Lobo became the first woman at Parris Island to be tested on her combat rifle, she broke the range record with a score of 246 of a possible 250.But in spite of that first success, women since have struggled more than men to master their combat rifles, a fact that has not made fitting in any easier.
For enlisted women, the first-time pass rate is 65 percent, said Chief Warrant Officer James Fraley, in charge of the marksmanship training unit. By contrast, 87 percent of men pass the test on their first try.