Marines receive a briefing for the Combat Endurance Test in the pre-dawn hours of July 6, 2012.

DC-based photographer Luke Sharrett documented the last all-male Combat Endurance Test in Marine Corps history.

In July I had the privilege of accompanying veteran New York Times war correspondent C.J. Chivers to Marine Corp Base Quantico in Northeast Virginia to document the last all-male Combat Endurance Test in Marine Corps history. For the first time in history female Marines are now allowed to volunteer for the course as part of an experimental program. The CET is an intensely grueling and secretive ordeal that all Marine Officers must endure on the path to becoming infantry officers. Because the test is designed to weed out officers who don’t have what it takes to lead United States Infantry Marines under fire, it’s the first segment of the strenuous Marine Infantry Officer Course.

Continue reading and see more photos on Luke’s blog.

Infantry officer candidates load into deuce-and-a-half cargo trucks at 4am to start the Combat Endurance Test at Quantico.

A Marine 2nd Lieutenant does pull-ups during a fitness portion of the CET.

A Marine 2nd Lieutenant makes his way through the obstacle course during the Combat Endurance Test.

The last event on the obstacle course is a rope climb with full ruck.