Senate women seek to honor first female Ranger School grads

A bipartisan group of female senators is looking to honor the first women to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger School.

Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver “have demonstrated that character, courage, and tenacity, not gender, are the hallmarks of great service members and leaders,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a press release Thursday. “Through their grit and determination these distinguished and inspiring soldiers have made history and serve as role models for girls and boys — women and men — in the United States and around the world.”

Collins and Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) introduced a resolution with 16 co-sponsors that commends Griest and Haver for their “personal courage, sacrifices and extraordinary leadership,” according to the resolution.

Griest and Haver graduated the school after the Army opened it to women on a trial basis to help inform future decisions on opening combat jobs to women. They were two out of 19 women who volunteered for the course.

Another woman is working her way through the course and is expected to graduate in November.

In general, only 42 percent of volunteers pass Ranger School, considered the Army’s toughest leadership training course. Only about three percent of all Army soldiers earn the Ranger tab.

Following Griest and Haver’s graduation, the Army announced earlier this month the Ranger School would officially be open to all who qualified regardless of gender.

“Captain Griest and First Lieutenant Haver have shown that women can compete on a level-playing field with men to serve in the defense of our nation,” Mikulski said in the press release announcing the resolution. “The Army’s recent announcement to permanently open Ranger School for women marks another important step in expanding roles for women in the military. Continued gender integration will improve readiness and help our Armed Forces to recruit the best talent we can throughout all of our services.”