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First woman to join Marines as infantry officer

By Danielle Haynes
A Marine awaits training as part of the infantry officer course on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., on February 6, 2013. The Marines are graduating the first woman as an infantry officer on Monday. File Photo by Photo by Cpl. Emmanuel Ramos/Marines
A Marine awaits training as part of the infantry officer course on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., on February 6, 2013. The Marines are graduating the first woman as an infantry officer on Monday. File Photo by Photo by Cpl. Emmanuel Ramos/Marines

Sept. 21 (UPI) -- For the first time in its 250-year history, a woman will be joining the ranks of the Marine Corps as an infantry officer, the U.S. military said Thursday.

The lieutenant, whose name was not revealed, is expected to graduate from the grueling, 13-week infantry officer course Monday, the training center said in a statement released to The Washington Post.

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ABC News confirmed the historic first.

Three dozen women have attempted to complete the course, and all but one have failed. About 25 percent of all trainees do not complete the course.

The Pentagon opened up all ground combat roles in the military to women in 2016.

Three unnamed officials told the Post the class will mark its graduation with a "warrior breakfast" at Quantico Marine Base in Virginia.

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