Rep. Duncan Hunter on Tuesday called for the resignation of Navy Secretary Ray Maybus over plans to integrate the training of men and women in the Marine Corps.
Hunter, a former Marine officer who represents most of east San Diego County, asked for Mabus’ resignation in a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter, according to the conservative website Washington Free Beacon.
The letter demanded assurances that the Marine Corps would not be forced to integrate women into its recruit training despite decisions by Carter and Mabus to open all parts of the Navy and Marine Corps to women, the Free Beacon reported.
“Even though the Navy backed off its integration plan for Marine Corps recruit and officer training, it’s still my firm belief that the Secretary of the Navy needs to go,” Hunter said in a Facebook post after the news broke.
Carter announced in December that beginning in 2016, all military occupations and positions will be open to women, without exception.
“They’ll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars and lead infantry soldiers into combat,” Carter said at the time. “They’ll be able to serve as Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps infantry, Air Force parajumpers, and everything else that was previously open only to men.”
