A Royal Marine has claimed he was ‘arrested’ and ‘treated like a terrorist’ after complaining about women serving in the elite naval unit.
John Carr, believed to be serving in 43 Commando safeguarding Britain’s nuclear submarines and Trident missiles in Scotland, made a rare move by using social media to express his worries.
The Marine based in Faslane voiced concerns that fitness standards might be reduced for female recruits aiming to achieve a prized green beret within the elite strike force.
Mr Carr claimed lives could be at risk should Britain go to war with female marines serving in front-line units.
Additionally, he highlighted that around 1,000 of his fellow Marines had supported a private petition urging military leaders to address diversity, equality, and inclusion policies that could potentially lead to a weakened and compromised state of the corps.
His comments have been heavily rebuked by both the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and veterans minister Al Carns, who have insisted there has been no lowering of standards for recruits seeking to become a commando.
Defence sources added no females have yet reached the standard to pass the arduous 32-week course to become a Royal Marine, since the ban on women serving in the unit was lifted more than six years ago.
And that so far, only seven have passed the shorter, nine-week All Arms Commando course, with those who earned their green beret going into support roles, not direct front-line combat positions, MailOnline understands.
However, in the private letter to military chiefs, it is claimed some female recruits at the Commando Training Centre in Devon were being ‘artificially pushed through training’, leading to women getting ‘unearned paper passes’.
In a 32-minute video posted online, Mr Carr said: ‘We believe that we have the high standards that we keep for [a] very important reason, which is to prevent Marines from being killed in dangerous situations when we go to war… We are concerned that those standards are being dropped.’
The commando alleges he was treated like a ‘terrorist and criminal’ after reportedly raising his concerns about the fitness standards of female recruits with his bosses.
He also claimed that after complaining to his chain of command he was arrested and briefly held by police under counter-terrorism laws.
In the video, the Marine says: ‘I ask them: “Am I being detained?” They say: “No, you’re not being detained, but we’re holding you here under the Terrorism Act”. And I’m just shaking my head in this instance. And I said: “Have I committed any acts of terrorism? Am I expected to commit any acts of terrorism?” And they said: “No, we have you here because of your views.”
After questioning, the commando was allowed to return to his duties. However, he was later detained for questioning under counter-terrorism legislation.
Mr Carr claimed officers from Police Scotland were waiting for him at immigration when he arrived at a Scottish airport after his family holiday.
According to the Telegraph, sources in Whitehall claimed the man was grilled by cops over concerns he may be linked with ‘extreme far-right politics’.
It adds that sources claimed the Marine was never arrested, nor was he charged with any offence. He has since returned to his duties.
Women have been allowed to serve in frontline combat roles since a ban was lifted by former Tory prime minister David Cameron in 2016.
Two years later, Gavin Williamson – the then defence secretary – announced all roles in the military would be open to women, which included frontline positions in the special forces, Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment.
However, the MoD has insisted women still have to pass all the same exhaustive fitness tests male recruits do and that there has been no lowering of standards.
‘The standard for selection into the commandos has not changed and there is no intended change planned,’ a defence source told MailOnline. ‘Regardless of gender, they all still have to reach the same standards.’
They added: ‘We’re looking for the best people and only the best will pass. Why shouldn’t women be Royal Marines, if they’re able to pass all required fitness tests?’
But according to Mr Carr, there is widespread concern within the corps about female trainees being given favourable treatment during training.
He said he set up a survey online to garner the sense of feeling among his comrades – one which he claims about 1,000 Marines signed.
In his video, Mr Carr adds: ‘That survey exploded in the Royal Marines. Within 24 hours, I can tell you that nearly a thousand people had signed up [to] that survey. Now why do I say within 24 hours? Because within 24 hours it was deleted. That survey was taken down.’
He later accused the MoD of launching a ‘full-on witch hunt’, claiming his bosses tried to blame the petition on ‘Russian bots’ before launching a probe into who set it up.
Marines were meant to ‘feel like they would go to jail’ if they did no give up the commando’s identity to superiors, he added. It later led to him handing himself into his chain of command, the commando said.
Mr Carr claims he was then flown to MoD HQ in London for what he describes as a ‘two-hour’ interrogation.
‘They tell me that they deal with security leaks,’ he continues in his video. ‘And they essentially try and make what is a genuine issue look like it was just some uppity Marines that are just being sexist, being evil… It’s absurd because we wrote that in the survey, that we were concerned that… we will be painted as sexists.
‘And that is exactly how they treated us. Telling me that I should be concerned for my career. Telling me that I should comply for the sake of myself and my family.’
The claims has sparked a fierce debate on social media.
Responding to it, veterans minister and former special forces operator, Al Carns, insisted standards to get into the Marines would never be compromised.
Mr Carns – who was awarded a Military Cross in 2011 for gallantry during his tour of Afghanistan and is a Colonel in the Royal Marine Reserve – said: ‘I know the dedication, drive and grit required to complete the arduous Commando tests… I speak from experience.
‘I have completed the Commando course not once, but twice; first as a Marine and then again as a Young Officer.
‘I therefore want to be very clear that the standards expected to pass the Royal Marines Commando Course have not, and will not change. An issue close to every Royal Marines’ heart, and something I track very closely.’
MailOnline understands that entry standards to the Royal Marines are higher now than 30 years ago.
Recruits still have to complete an arduous series of tests, which concludes in a 30-mile speed march carrying 40lb of kit, during their 32 weeks of basic training.
A defence source insisted Mr Carr, although part of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group, does not have access to sensitive equipment based on nuclear submarines
An MoD spokesman said: ‘Royal Marine commando selection standards have not changed, and the same high standards apply to every recruit.
‘This issue is subject to an ongoing investigation, so we are unable to comment further at this stage.
‘We expect the highest standards of all our service personnel. We are committed to investigating any allegation of behaviour that could bring the Armed Forces into disrepute.’
The MoD also denies that as many as 1,000 Marines backed the petition.
It added it does not tolerate extremism and works with the Home Office and police forces to prevent individuals from being drawn into extremism and to investigate any suspicious activity.
MailOnline has approached Police Scotland for comment.
