The Pentagon didn’t determine the titles Friday of the troopers set-to graduate.
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The ranger tab unequivocally garners high respect in the American military world-only 3% of US army soldiers have it, according to Christian Science Monitor reporter Anna Mulrine, who covered this year’s ranger training and spoke with National Public Radio on August 16.
The Army announced it was going to begin assessing incorporating women into its Ranger training earlier this year and 19 women started the grueling, months-long course that is a prerequisite to serve in the Army’s elite special operations unit.
By the end of the 62-day course, only 94 men and two women met all the requirements. Some roles have since opened, but the final decision still lies with current Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
The next hurdle these women will have to jump over: whether the Army allows them to become a part of an actual Ranger regiment.
First Lt. Shaye Haver is shown here in Ranger School training during the Mountain Phase in northern Georgia on July 12. The 61-day course is held at Fort Benning in Georgia and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and requires its participants to survive three training phases to prepare them for operations in the mountains, woods, and swamp, all with a minimal amount of food and sleep.
Allowing women to participate in the Ranger course is part of the U.S. military’s push to open more combat jobs to women. Once a soldier has that distinction, he or she either returns to regular assignment duty or applies to serve with the 75th Ranger Regiment, according to Army spokesman Nate Snook.
The women, who remain unidentified, are said to be officers in their 20s and graduates of United States Military Academy at West Point.
“We owe soldiers the opportunity to serve successfully in any position where they are qualified and capable”, he added.
“This is an important moment and an important week because I see it as reality and perception catching up with each other”, said Davidson, former U.S. Air Force Aircraft Commander and Senior Pilot.
The graduates, including the two female army rangers, will provide an interview to media outlets a day before Friday’s graduation. “To lower those standards to fit a quota is a disservice to comrades and country and could result in mission failure”.
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“The feedback I’ve gotten with these women is how incredibly prepared they are”, said retiring Army chief of staff Gen. Ray Odierno.
