Tuesday, April 15, 2014

First women move into Army platoon artillery jobs












1st Lt. Kelly Requa speaks with Spc. Michael Cantrell of Bravo Battery, 321st Field Artillery at a fires direction center during certification on Fort Bragg, N.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014.






FORT BRAGG, North Carolina — 1st Lt. Kelly Requa is breaking new ground at Fort Bragg.


She's one of a small number of female lieutenants brought into the 3rd Battalion of the 321st Field Artillery Regiment to lead a cannon platoon at the North Carolina base.


For the women, the integration into the once men-only artillery platoons means more pressure and scrutiny. For the men, it means more training for sexual-assault prevention and awareness, and more lectures on respect, team building and moral character.


By January 2016, the U.S. military must open all combat jobs to women or explain why any must remain closed. The Army in November began assigning female officers to lead the cannon platoons and plans to open other jobs, including those of crew members within field artillery units.




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