The Army is opening up more assignments for female officers in the infantry, armor and field artillery occupations at another five major posts this year, the Army announced last week.
- This year, the Army will integrate female officers into combat arms military occupational specialties at units based at Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort Drum, New York; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Italy, an Army news release says.
- “To date, the Army has successfully accessed and transferred more than 1,000 women into the previously closed occupations of infantry, armor, and field artillery,” said Army Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, the service’s deputy chief of staff for personnel. “Currently, 80 female officers are assigned to infantry or armor positions at Forts Hood, Bragg, Carson, Bliss, and Campbell.”
- “As part of a multi-year effort to open other assignments to female soldiers, as many as 500 women currently serve in every active brigade combat team in the Army down to the company level.”
- Female officers will first go to those units, followed by noncommissioned officers, and then junior enlisted soldiers, Army Times reported. Women first graduated from the Army’s infantry, armor and artillery basic officer leader courses in 2016.