Pfc. Cristina Fuentes Montenegro, 25, one of the first three female Marine graduates from the School of Infantry-East’s Infantry Training Battalion course, and native of Coral Springs, Fla., left, and Pfc. Julia Carroll, 18, one of the first three female Marine graduates from the School of Infantry-East’s Infantry Training Battalion course, and native of Idaho Falls, Id., far right, stand with Shirley M. John from the North Carolina Tarheel Chapter of the Women Marines Association following the graduation ceremony of Delta Company, Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry-East at Camp Geiger, N.C. Nov. 21. The graduation of 227 students marked the first class of Marines to include females. The class was part of the Marine Corps’ research effort toward integrating women into ground-combat military occupational specialties. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin A. Rodriguez/Released)