As another Marine Combat Training (MCT) cycle came to an end, Golf Company, the first to integrate female students into training on the West Coast, prepared to graduate at the School of Infantry-West, Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 3, 2018.

The Marines trained side by side throughout the 29-day course, consisting of live fire and maneuver drills, defensive positions and executing patrolling exercises.

"The purpose of MCT is to ultimately create rifleman out of any Military Occupational Specialty" said Staff Sergeant David Faust, Golf Company Combat Instructor, "We also provide guidance and mentorship to entry-level Marines. Our purpose here is to create a better warfighter"

All Marine recruits hailing from east of the Mississippi attend basic training on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Paris Island, S.C., and are accustomed to the flat terrain characteristic of the area. This made the three, six and nine-kilometer hikes through the steep hills of Camp Pendleton a new challenge.

"Coming to the School of Infantry-West, at first it was the environment change; going from Parris Island with flatlands to the hills in Calif.," said Pvt. Hannah Gushulak, a student with Golf Co. "I was ready for the challenge, and I was excited for the challenge and I wanted to meet the expectations of my fellow Marines and my instructors."

After weeks of rigorous training, each of the Marines marched proudly across the parade deck, now the first integrated MCT graduates on the West Coast.

Lance Cpl. Nicholas White, a fellow student with Golf Co., did not notice any difference training alongside female Marines and enjoyed the experience, stating that “both genders can do the same exact thing”