Kristen Griest is proving she’s one bad ass female.
Last summer, she was one of the first two women to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger school – and now she’s becoming the first female Army infantry officer as well.
Since the Pentagon opened up all combat roles in the military to women, a few men weren’t happy about it and challenged whether a woman would – or could – make it.
Army Capt. Kristen Griest has proved them all wrong.
After exceeding expectations by completing a 62-day grueling test programme to see if women could cope with the intense physical and mental training, she’s now set to make history again.
Griest graduates the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course on Thursday, and after that she becomes an infantry officer.
She will be the first woman to ever hold the position – commanding units of 300 soldiers and organizing combat mission. And if her training is any proof, she’ll kick some ass too.
The Huffington Post reports that after graduating from Ranger school, Griest went back to her initial assignment in the military police. Once back, she applied for an exceptional transfer to the infantry, and it was approved by the Army. This means that Griest will be one of the first women ever to engage in a ground combat role as well.
The Army expects more women to follow in her footsteps as well – in mid-April, The Washington Post reported that the Army will soon ‘commission 22 female lieutenants into ground combat roles.’
It’s an incredible move forward for women in the Army – way to go, Kristen.
