A female Marine officer who led the service's only all-female recruit battalion was fired amid complaints of a toxic leadership environment - but her supporters say she was only trying to make the unit better by holding women to tougher standards.
Lt. Col. Kate Germano, the former commanding officer of 4th Recruit Training Battalion at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., was found to be "hostile, unprofessional and abusive," according to a command investigation obtained by Marine Corps Times.
She was relieved for cause on June 30 by Brig. Gen. Terry Williams, Parris Island's commanding general who cited a poor command climate and the loss of trust and confidence in Germano's ability to serve in command, according to Inquisitr.
On the other hand, officers who served with her state that she is the victim of a vocal minority in the battalion whose testimony has served to undercut her achievements. For example, they note that Germano's tactics dramatically improved range qualification rates for female recruits, according to Marine Corps Times.
Many say that this story provides a glimpse into the everlasting struggle to establish equal standards for male and female Marines at the Corps' East Coast recruit depot. Now Germano is petitioning lawmakers for redress, saying she was treated unjustly by base leadership, PJ Media reports.
The investigation found that she made comments during a sexual assault prevention brief that female Marines interpreted as victim blaming, leading some to testify that it would make them feel less comfortable reporting a sexual assault within the command.
However, during the same investigation, many testified that she made things better at the battalion and claimed that she was a caring and supportive leader who prioritized troop welfare and the well-being of their families.
With all of this conflicting information, it's hard to discern precisely why she was fired. The only ones who know for sure are Brig. Gen. Williams and Lt. Col. Germano.
