Last summer, Kristen Griest was one of the first two women to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger school. Now she has broken another barrier; she has become the first female Army infantry officer as well.
According to the Huffington Post, Griest is set to graduate the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course on Thursday, and after that become an infantry officer. Now Griest can command units of 300 soldiers, and organize combat missions.
Our previous coverage of Griest’s achievement described her Ranger training like this:
All prospective rangers endure 62 days of arduous trials, including sleep deprivation, ultra-rough conditions, and limited food. Once completed, an Army Ranger tab earns the recipient “a mark of distinction in the military and civilian community and proof positive of proven leadership under the toughest conditions possible.”
The Huffington Post reports that after graduating from Ranger school, Griest went back to her initial assignment in the military police. She then applied for an exceptional transfer to the infantry, and the Army approved it. This means that Griest will be one of the first women to engage in a ground combat role in the army as well.
Griest will soon have company. The Washington Post reported in mid-April that the Army will soon “commission 22 female lieutenants into ground combat roles.”
(Via Huffington Post)
