A Montana National Guard member has made history by becoming the first woman to graduate from the U.S. Army Sniper Course.
The soldier, who isn't being identified by name, completed the intensive course on Nov. 5, according to a statement from the Montana National Guard.
"We see this as a historic moment. This is a huge achievement not only for her, for our organization, but for all women in the National Guard and the Army," said Montana National Guard spokesperson Maj. Ryan Finnegan, according to USA Today. "We're very proud of her and proud of her achievement."
The soldier, who was born and raised in Montana, enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in December 2020 and, while attending the monthslong course, was recommended by her training staff and chain of command to attend the sniper course due to her "superior performance," which included qualifying as an expert shooter.
"We are extremely proud of this soldier’s achievement and recognize that this is a milestone for not only Montana, but the entire National Guard and Army," said Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the adjutant general for Montana. "This soldier had to volunteer several times to reach this goal, which is a demonstration of her dedication and commitment to service."
Looking ahead, Finnegan said the soldier's next step was to join her unit in Montana and "take the skills and knowledge and abilities that she gained there, inspect the course, and put them to full use in the training and operations that we have here."