A female soldier in the Montana Army National guard graduated from the U.S. Army Sniper Course at Fort Benning, Ga on Nov. 5.
She’s now the first woman in history to have completed the course.
Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the Adjutant General for Montana, said in a press release, “We are extremely proud of this Soldier’s achievement and recognize that this is a milestone for not only Montana, but the entire National Guard and Army.”
He continued, adding, “This Soldier had to volunteer several times to reach this goal, which is a demonstration of her dedication and commitment to service.”
According to the press release, the unidentified soldier enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in Dec. 2020. While at her training, she was recommended by her training staff to attend the Sniper Course – a privilege only granted to those considered expert shooters.
The woman started the U.S. Army Sniper Course, an intensive seven-week course, in September 2021, and successfully graduated.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “The U.S. military has taken significant steps over the past decade to build a more diverse and inclusive force that attracts the country’s top talent.” This includes being more inclusive of women, such as allowing single mothers to join the military and beginning to allow single parents with custody of their children to join.
Minnesota National Guard
CFR reported that in 1973, women represented just 2% of enlisted forces. As of 2018, that number rose to 16%.
Even today, women are underrepresented in the military. It’s nice to see women making history and crushing stereotypes!