Learn truth behind how female Marines are trained at April 12 Club Headliners Book Rap

On Thursday, April 12, at 6:30 p.m., Kate Germano plans to share her new book Fight Like a Girl: The Truth Behind How Female Marines Are Trained at a National Press Club Headliners Book Rap and explain why she believes the male-dominated Marine Corps has a systematic problem with female leadership and institutionalized gender bias.

The Book Rap features a discussion with the author, an audience question-and-answer session, and a book signing. Tickets are $5 for Club members and $10 for the general public and can be purchased here.

When Marine Lt. Col. Kate Germano arrived at the Fourth Recruit Training Battalion at Parris Island, South Carolina, the Marine Corps’ all-women boot camp, she decided that if she was really going to improve the lagging performance of the female Marines under her command, she was going to have to try something new: raise expectations and push for tougher standards for female recruits.

After just one year under her leadership, female recruits made significant gains in strength tests and retention rates, and achieved a passing rate for initial rifle qualification equal to that of their male counterparts. In spite of these results, however, Lt. Col. Germano was removed from command.