Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command is making women an integral part of spec ops teams in Afghanistan, where they'll be used to develop a rapport with Afghan women and, it is hoped, build broader support for the frail Afghan government, according to an article in the Marine Corps Times.
MarSOC's first female engagement team -- comprising a captain, two corporals and a Navy corpsman -- will spend about nine months with 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, which is scheduled to take command of a task force later this year that will oversee U.S. spec ops forces in northern and western Afghanistan. By attaching female troops to spec ops teams, officials hope to better navigate local Afghan customs that often prohibit interaction between women and men who are not members of their families.