Two former Marine Corps colonels have spoken out about the pervasive sexual harassment and gender bias they experienced during their combined nearly 60 years of service, calling for radical cultural change in the wake of a scandal involving a secret Facebook page that shared nude photos of female marines.
Cynthia and John Valentin, a husband and wife who met as marines, said the corps has 'a very long way to go' to stamp out discrimination at all levels. Cynthia Valentin, who served for 26 years, said she faced gender bias and harassment at every rank, including as a colonel. She recalled an incident where a male lieutenant colonel folded her feedback report into a paper plane and flew it at her chest in front of about 20 people.
The scandal erupted earlier this month when it emerged that over 30,000 current and former male marines had access to the private Facebook group Marines United, where explicit images of female marines were posted without consent, often accompanied by derogatory or violent comments. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating, and the photos have been removed.
John Valentin, who retired as a colonel in 2007 but still teaches marine officers, said there is often an attitude within the corps to downplay sexual assault and harassment due to poor leadership attitudes towards victims and a desire to avoid high statistics. He and his wife called for more women in the corps and welcomed the opening of all jobs to women.
'Anyone who thinks it's a good idea to be an old boys club or turn the clock back on the role of women in the corps, you are too dumb to be a marine,' John Valentin said. The couple urged institutional change to alter mindsets, rather than just implementing new policies.
