An Army National Guard soldier marked a new milestone in the
U.S. military Thursday by graduating from the grueling Special Forces
Qualification Course (Q Course) to become the first woman to join the Green
Berets.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command would not identify the
soldier, but confirmed that she graduated from the 53-week course in a ceremony
at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to a USASOC release.
USASOC Commander Lt. Gen. Fran Beaudette spoke at the
ceremony, congratulating the class of approximately 400 soldiers.
"Each and every one of you demonstrated the ability to
meet the baseline standards and competencies for admission to our [Special
Forces] Regiment," Beaudette said.
The Q Course is made up of six phases and includes training
in small-unit operations, advanced Special Forces tactics, language training
and unconventional warfare. After graduating, Green Berets typically are
assigned to 12-member operational detachment alpha (ODA) teams, which are made
up of weapons, communications, intelligence, engineer and medical specialists.
The graduates received the Special Forces Tab and donned the
coveted Green Beret, identifying them as experts at conducting complex
unconventional warfare missions behind enemy lines.
On their berets, they wear the distinctive Special Forces
unit insignia that bears the phrase "De Oppresso Liber," which means
"To Free the Oppressed."
Army Special Forces had been one of the last remaining
male-only communities after former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter officially
opened all jobs involving direct combat to women in late 2015.
In 2015, then-Capt. Kristen Griest and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver
became the first two female soldiers to break through one of the Army's
toughest training courses by successfully graduating from Army Ranger School, a
physically and mentally punishing 61-day course previously reserved for male
soldiers.
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