AN ANALYSIS OF INJURY AT THE MARINE CORPS SCHOOL OF INFANTRY (SOI)

Abstract

Recent policy changes to the Marine Corps regarding gender integration into combat arms occupation fields affect the methods that these occupations traditionally use for training. Recent studies since the start of the gender integration indicate that differences may exist between male and female graduation rates at the Marine Corps’ primary infantry training school, the School of Infantry (SOI). I analyze whether differences in dropping due to injury exist between genders at the Marine Combat Training (MCT) and Infantry Training Battalion (ITB) courses. I proposed investigating whether injury rates differ between genders or between the two SOI school locations, Camp Pendleton, California, and Camp Geiger, North Carolina. I analyze whether the recently implemented Initial Strength Test (IST) serves as a predictor for injury in initial infantry training. Last, I analyze whether those who attrite from initial infantry training due to injury earn different performance marks than those who graduate the training without dropping for injury. Due to data limitations, I limit my analysis to SOI-East. I find that injury drop differences exist between genders; I am unable to compare differences between training locations. Negative correlations exist between dropping for injury and average performance marks. Lastly, IST scores, on average, fail to predict injury drop; however, certain events serve as predictors for female candidates.