A squadron from the Vermont National Guard has become the first in the nation authorized to recruit women directly into combat roles at the battalion level.
Combat roles in the U.S. Army have been open to women since 2016, but at the time they were not allowed to enlist there directly. Instead, women could be transferred into combat units only after a series of requirements was met — including women in leadership roles within the squadron and “gender integration” training.
“I am incredibly proud of the soldiers and senior leaders of our squadron,” Maj. Gen. Greg Knight said in a press release. “This represents a significant milestone in making the Vermont National Guard an organization that provides opportunity for all. Their focus and hard work made this a reality.”
The 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain), which consists of four or more companies, and as many as 1,000 soldiers, is the first in the history of the National Guard to be able to enlist women for combat.
Last week, Gov. Phil Scott deployed about 100 soldiers from that unit to Washington, D.C., ahead of the inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden.
One of the companies within the battalion had already been able to recruit women into combat roles, but authorization at the battalion level follows a pattern of loosening gender-based restrictions in recent years. Last June, the Army adjusted the number of women in leadership roles that were required for lower-ranking women to join, too.
That decision also authorized National Guard battalions to lift the “leaders first” policy, which required at least two female officers “to be in each company that accepted women straight from initial-entry training.”
Capt. Mike Arcovitch, spokesperson for the National Guard, said the change will accelerate opportunities for women to advance in Guard leadership roles.
“One of the avenues for soldiers to become senior leaders is through our combat unit, and when units were previously closed off to women, it just limited opportunities for growth in leadership roles on the enlisted and on the officer side,” Arcovitch said.
Women still face a number of challenges within the armed forces. The Vermont Air and National Guard has had a history of sexual assault and harassment that created a hostile environment for women. The statistics on sexual assault within the U.S. military are sobering, and internal studies, like the one conducted by the Pentagon in 2014, have been part of an effort to reduce those risks.
Arcovitch estimates that women make up between 15% and 20% of the Vermont Air and National Guard, in line with data from the Department of Defense that shows women make up about 17% of all enlisted personnel. Women also make up nearly 27% of cadets and midshipmen at military academies.
Some lawmakers voiced concerns Friday morning over news that National Guard members protecting the nation’s capital during Biden’s inauguration were relegated to sleeping in a parking garage.
Arcovitch said while the 100 Vermont Guardsmen deployed to Washington were operating out of a climate-controlled garage, their designated evening rest area is at a hotel.
Arcovitch said he expects the Vermont Guardsmen to return home this weekend.
