The Army announced Wednesday that it is opening its legendary Ranger School to women, following the historic graduation last month of two female soldiers.
The school, with headquarters at Fort Benning, Ga., has been a centerpiece of the military’s ongoing research on integrating women into more jobs in combat units. Capt. Kristen Griest, 26, a military policy officer, and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, 25, an Apache helicopter pilot who serves at Colorado’s Fort Carson, became the first women to graduate from school Aug. 21, after spending months alongside men enduring the grueling training.
Army Secretary John McHugh said in a statement that the service must ensure that the opportunity afforded to Griest and Haver is available to “all soldiers who are qualified and capable” and that the Army is continuing to assess how to select, train and retain its best soldiers. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the service’s top officer, added in the same statement that combat readiness remains the Army’s top priority.
“Giving every qualified soldier the opportunity to attend the Ranger Course, the Army’s premier small unit leadership school, ensures we are maintaining our combat readiness today, tomorrow and for future generations,” Milley said.
The graduation of Griest and Haver has increased pressure on the military to integrate women into more jobs that are still closed, such as infantryman. Pentagon leaders made a landmark decision in January 2013 to open all jobs in the military to women but gave the services until this fall to make recommendations on whether some jobs should remain closed.
The recommendations are expected soon. Milley has not signaled whether he will integrate Special Forces and other elite units, but the bar to get approval to do so is expected to be high.
