This article is about women in warfare and the military (2000–present) throughout the world outside the United States. For women in warfare and the military in the United States since 2000, please see: ''
'' and ''
Timeline of women in warfare and the military in the United States, 2011–present''.
2000
* 8 March: Lim Sok Bee becomes the first female commanding officer of an artillery battalion in
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
.
* 27 March:
Elza Kungayeva, an 18-year-old
Chechen woman, is abducted and murdered by a
Russian Army
The Russian Ground Forces (), also known as the Russian Army in English, are the Army, land forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
The primary responsibilities of the Russian Ground Forces are the protection of the state borders, combat on land, ...
Colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
during the
Second Chechen War
Names
The Second Chechen War is also known as the Second Chechen Campaign () or the Second Russian Invasion of Chechnya from the Chechens, Chechen insurgents' point of view.Федеральный закон № 5-ФЗ от 12 января 19 ...
. Her murder was one of the first cases in which Russian authorities promptly and publicly acknowledged a
war crime
A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hostage ...
perpetrated by
Russian federal forces against civilians in Chechnya.
* September:
West Side Boys
The West Side Boys, also known as the West Side Niggaz or the West Side Junglers, were an armed group in Sierra Leone, sometimes described as a splinter faction of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council.
They captured and held peacekeepers fr ...
, an armed group in
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
, are destroyed during
Operation Barras
Operation Barras was a British Army operation that took place in Sierra Leone on 10 September 2000, during the late stages of the nation's civil war. The operation aimed to release six British soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment and their ...
, and subsequent operations by the
Sierra Leone Army
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces () are the armed forces of Sierra Leone, responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's borders and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone, within the framework of the 1991 Sierra ...
and the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
's
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd and 87th) was a regular light infantry regiment of the British Army with a relatively short existence, formed in 1968 and later merged with the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1992 to form the Royal ...
, the
Parachute Regiment and the
Special Air Service
The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...
. The group had female fighters as well as male ones.
*
Lone Træholt
Lone Træholt is the first woman in the Danish armed forces to obtain the rank of general. On 30 September 2016, she was promoted to brigadier general in the Royal Danish Air Force, heading the Tactical Air Staff. In 2000, Træholt became the fi ...
became the first woman in the Danish Air Force to hold the rank of lieutenant colonel ().
* María Elena Mendoza Quan graduated as Central America’s (and El Salvador’s) first female attack pilot of an A-37B warplane.
* The Equality amendment to the Military Service law stated that "The right of women to serve in any role in the IDF (
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
) is equal to the right of men".
* Major Micky Colton became the first female Hercules pilot in the Canadian military to complete 10,000 flying hours.
* Lieutenant Ruth Ann Shamuhn became the first female combat diver in the Canadian military.
* Brooke Chivers and Aroha Fifield became the
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
's first women to graduate to fast jets.
*Since 2000, women are allowed to voluntarily serve in the Mexican military, with restrictions to medical units.
*Canada granted permission for females to serve in submarine units
*"
Colonel Black Diamond" joins the rebel group
LURD
The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) was a rebel group in Liberia that was active from 1999 until the resignation of Charles Taylor ended the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. While the group formally dissolved after the ...
, going on to command its all-female wing, the Women's Artillery Commandos, during the
Second Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War was a civil war in the West African nation of Liberia that lasted from 1999 to 2003. The war was mainly caused by transition failures after the First Civil War, especially the peace-building process which would res ...
.
2001
* German women are allowed to serve in combat units as of 2 January 2001 rather than only being admitted to medical units/musicians in the military bands.
*March:
Hikaru Saeki
is the first female admiral of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the first female in the entire Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to achieve star rank. Originally an obstetrician-gynecologist with the degree of M.D., Saeki joined t ...
became the first female star officer (admiral and general) in the history of the
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The are the military forces of Japan. Established in 1954, the JSDF comprises the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. They are controlled by the Ministry of Defense ...
(JSDF) with her promotion to Rear Admiral.
* April: The first female jet fighter pilot for the
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...
,
Roni Zuckerman
Roni Zuckerman (; born 1981) is an Israeli who served as the first female jet fighter pilot for the Israeli Air Force.
Biography
Roni Zuckerman was born and raised on kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta'ot ("the Ghetto Fighters' kibbutz"), located near Haif ...
, received her wings in 2001.
* May: Capt. Maryse Carmichael became the first female
Snowbird pilot in Canada.
* November:
Chechen woman
Aiza Gazuyeva assassinates a Russian general by suicide bombing. She is the first Chechen
shahidka
Black Widow (, ''chyornaya vdova'') or Shahidka (—Russian feminine gender derivation from ''shahid''), is a term for Islamist Chechen female suicide bombers, willing to be a manifestation of violent jihad. They became known at the Moscow thea ...
, or "black widow", a term for female suicide bombers. More women begin to copy her example.
* December:
Julie Hammer
Air Vice Marshal Julie Hammer, (born 17 February 1955) is an Australian engineer and a retired senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). She was the first woman to be promoted to one-star rank, and also the first woman to be prom ...
becomes the first woman Commandant of the
Australian Defence Force Academy
The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) is a tri-service military academy that provides military and Tertiary education in Australia, academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ...
.
*New Zealand women authorized to serve in all defense units.
2002
* Chief Warrant Officer Camille Tkacz is the first woman appointed to a Command Chief position as assistant deputy minister (Human Resources – Military) Chief Warrant Officer in Canada.
* January: Yang Seung Sook becomes the first female general in the history of the South Korean military.
* May: Captain
Philippa Tattersall becomes the first woman to earn the Royal Marines green beret. She is not allowed to serve in combat, however.
* 26 September: Three female airforce officers are appointed as airforce fighter pilots in South Korea, making them the first women to become fighter pilots in the history of the country.
* Jang Se-jin became the first female transport plane pilot in South Korea.
2003
* Maj. Anne Reiffenstein became the first female in Canada to command a combat arms sub-unit.
* Lt.-Cmdr. Marta Mulkins is the first woman to serve as a captain of a Canadian warship.
* Maj. Jennie Carignan of 5 Combat Engineer Regiment (5 CER) becomes the first female Deputy Commanding Officer of a combat arms unit in Canada.
* Leading Seaman Hayley John and Leading Seaman Marketa Semik are the first female clearance divers in Canada.
* Master Seaman Colleen Beattie is the first woman in Canada qualified as a submariner, followed shortly by Master Seaman Carey Ann Stewart.
* The first all-female Canadian military team to complete the Nijmegen March in the Netherlands carrying the same weight as male teams do so in 2003. The team members are: team leader Lieut. Debbie Scott, second-in-command Capt. Lucie Mauger, Lieut. Jody Weathered, Cpl. Elizabeth Mutch, Warrant Officer Nathalie Mercer, Warrant Officer Jackie Revell, Master Corporal Denise Robert, Cpl. Melissa Cedilot, Cpl. Danette Frasz, Lt.-Col. Teresa McNutt, Lieut. Donna Rogers and Cpl. Anne MacDonald.
*
Julie Hammer
Air Vice Marshal Julie Hammer, (born 17 February 1955) is an Australian engineer and a retired senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). She was the first woman to be promoted to one-star rank, and also the first woman to be prom ...
,
RAAF
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the governor-general of Aus ...
, is promoted to Air Vice-Marshal. She is the first woman to achieve two-star rank in the history of the
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
.
* 27 February: Serbian politician
Biljana Plavšić
Biljana Plavšić ( sr-Cyrl, Биљана Плавшић; born 7 July 1930) is a Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serb former politician, university professor and scientist who served as President of Republika Srpska and was later convict ...
is sentenced to 11 years in prison for war crimes.
* July: Lt.-Cdr. Marta Mulkins takes command of a Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, HMCS Kingston. She is the first woman commanding officer of a Canadian Navy ship.
*
Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace
Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace is a peace movement started in 2003 by women in Monrovia, Liberia, Africa, that worked to end the Second Liberian Civil War. Organized by Crystal Roh Gawding and social workers Leymah Gbowee and Comfort Free ...
brings about the end of the
Second Liberian Civil War
The Second Liberian Civil War was a civil war in the West African nation of Liberia that lasted from 1999 to 2003. The war was mainly caused by transition failures after the First Civil War, especially the peace-building process which would res ...
.
Leymah Gbowee
Leymah Roberta Gbowee (born 1 February 1972) is a Liberian peace activist responsible for leading a women's non-violent peace movement, Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. Her ...
and
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Ellen Eugenia Johnson Sirleaf (born 29 October 1938) is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.
Sirleaf was born in Monrovia to a Gol ...
are instrumental in this, and were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.
* Pyeon Bo-ra became the first South Korean female fighter pilot.
2004
* Chief Petty Officer, 1st Class Jan Davis is appointed Coxswain of HMCS Regina and is the first woman Coxswain of a major warship in Canada.
* Major D., an IAF MANAT (Flight Test Center) test-engineer flew the F-16I Sufa on Tuesday (27 April 2004). She was the first woman in the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
to fly a F-16I jet.
* 4 February: Italian war correspondent
Giuliana Sgrena
Giuliana Sgrena (born 20 December 1948) is an Italian journalist who works for the Italian communist newspaper ''il manifesto'' and the German weekly ''Die Zeit''. While working in Iraq, she was kidnapped by insurgents on 4 February 2005. After h ...
is kidnapped in Iraq by insurgents. The car carrying her and her companions was shot at while by American forces at a checkpoint during her release in March, wounding her and killing an Italian intelligence agent.
* 9 March: American lawyer
Fern Holland
Fern Leona Holland (August 5, 1970 – March 9, 2004) was an American lawyer who was killed in the Iraq conflict that began in 2003. Holland died on March 9, 2004, while working for the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq.
Professiona ...
is killed while working for the
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority (; , CPA) was a Provisional government, transitional government of Iraq established following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, invasion of the country on 19 March 2003 by Multi-National Force – Iraq, U.S.-led Co ...
in Iraq.
* 31 October:
S/Sgt Denise Rose,
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
, becomes the first female British soldier to die in military operations in the
Iraq War
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
. Her death is ruled to be a suicide by an inquest.
* Russia's first all-girls military school, Moscow Girls Cadet Boarding School No. 9, opened in 2004.
* The law was changed in Switzerland to allow women to become fighter pilots.
*
Caracal Battalion
The 33rd "Caracal" Battalion () is an infantry combat battalion of the Israel Defense Forces, one of the three fully combat units (alongside the ' Lions of Jordan Battalion' and the ' Cheetah Battalion') in the Israeli military's Paran Brigad ...
, Israel's first mixed female and male combat unit, was created in 2004.
2005
*
Elizabeth Cosson becomes the first woman to be promoted to the rank of
Brigadier
Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...
in the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army ...
.
* War correspondent Gina Cavallaro watched her military escort, 20-year-old Spc. Francisco Martinez, be killed by an enemy sniper in Iraq. She later expanded upon her experiences in her book, Sniper: American Single-Shot Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
*The first woman to take command of an Italian war vessel was Catia Pellegrino after graduating the Naval Academy in 2005.
2006
* May: Flight Lieutenant
Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill
Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill (née Poole; 10 June 1973 – 6 May 2006) was a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force (RAF) who died in Iraq, becoming the first British servicewoman to be killed in action for more than 20 years.
Born Sarah-Jayne Poole ...
becomes the first British servicewoman to be killed in the
Iraq War
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
.
* 17 May: Captain
Nichola Goddard, (
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...
), became the first Canadian woman to be killed in action since World War II, the first female Canadian Forces member killed during combat duty, and the first Canadian female combat soldier to be killed on the front lines. She was near the front lines serving as a forward artillery observer during a battle with Taliban forces. She was killed when a rocket-propelled grenade struck her light-armoured vehicle.
* 16 June:
Pte Michelle Norris,
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
, saves the life of her sergeant by climbing out of a vehicle and pulling him from the turret of the Warrior Patrol Vehicle that they were in while under heavy gunfire. She is eventually awarded the
Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...
for her actions, and is the first woman to receive one.
* 12 August: Sgt. Maj.
Keren Tendler, the first female Israeli helicopter flight mechanic, is killed in action during the
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War was a 34-day armed conflict in Lebanon, fought between Hezbollah and Israel. The war started on 12 July 2006, and continued until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect in the morning on 14 August 2006, thoug ...
along with four other crew members. A fund is later established in her name to help other women become flight mechanics.
* 22 September: Aviation Cadet Saira Amin wins the Sword of Honour at
The Pakistan Air Force Academy, becoming the first female aviation cadet to do so.
* 7 October: War correspondent
Anna Politkovskaya
Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya (; 30 August 1958 – 7 October 2006) was a Russians, Russian investigative journalist who reported on political and social events in Russia, in particular, the Second Chechen War (1999–2005).
It was her repor ...
, who made her reputation reporting on
Chechnya
Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...
, was murdered.
* 4 December:
Linda Corbould led the RAAF's first all-female aircrew during a training flight. Corbould was subsequently appointed the Senior Air Force Officer in Tasmania, a position she had requested.
* In December 2006 female cadets from the
Pakistan Military Academy
Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) is a military academy located nearby Kakul village in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Established in October 1947, it is the only service academy in Pakistan that trains cadets to serve as army of ...
for the first time assumed guard duties at the mausoleum of
Quaid-e-Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 187611 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pa ...
at Karachi.
* In this year women were enrolled in the Pakistani military for assignments other than duties in medical setups/units for the first time in history.
* Bombardier Allison Jones became the first woman to fire the One O'Clock Gun at
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...
.
* Brigadier General Christine Whitecross became the first female Joint Task Force Commander in the Canadian military.
*
Line Bonde
Line Bonde (born c.1979) is a Danish fighter pilot. In July 2006, aged 27, she became the first female Danish fighter pilot, flying an F-16 jet fighter.
Biography
Bonde was brought up in Billund, Jylland, in a traditional Danish family where h ...
became the first female Danish fighter pilot.
2007
* In 2007 the
Brigade of Gurkhas
Brigade of Gurkhas is the collective name which refers to all the units in the British Army that are composed of Gurkha, Nepalese Gurkha soldiers. The brigade draws its heritage from Gurkha units that originally served in the British Indian Arm ...
announced that women are allowed to join. Like their British counterparts, Gurkha women are eligible to join the
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
,
Logistics Corps
The Israeli Logistics Corps is a support corps in the IDF Technological and Logistics Directorate, which centralizes the logistical activity in the IDF, including the transporting of supplies, shipments of fuel, construction, and transport. Its ...
,
Signals
A signal is both the process and the result of Signal transmission, transmission of data over some transmission media, media accomplished by embedding some variation. Signals are important in multiple subject fields including signal processin ...
and brigade band, although not infantry units.
* 19 January: The United Nations first all female peacekeeping force is set to deploy to
Liberia
Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...
. The peacekeeping force is made up of 105 Indian policewomen.
* March: The
Botswana Defence Force
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF, ) is the military of Botswana. The main component of the BDF is the Botswana Ground Force; there is also an air wing and a riverine patrol contingent attached to the ground forces, with 10 Panther airboats and 2 ...
begins recruiting women into military service.
Tebogo Masire, the commander, states that they will not receive special treatment.
* March: Acting Leading Seaman
Faye Turney, a British sailor, is captured by
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
along with fourteen other British sailors. While captive, she appears on television apologizing for trespassing in Iranian waters, and also writes a letter stating that she and her fellow sailors "apparently trespassed" on Iranian waters.
* April: The fifteen British sailors captured by Iran are released. It is revealed that Acting Leading Seaman Faye Turney was separated from the other sailors and singled out for special treatment by the Iranians. In a news conference, some of the other sailors state that she was used as a propaganda tool by Iran.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticizes the United Kingdom for sending Turney, the mother of a young child, into a war zone.
* Since 2007, Mexico's army has allowed women soldiers to work as pilots and engineers in addition to nurses, doctors, and cooks. Women have been serving since the Mexican Revolution but often acting as men or cooks.
* Lieutenant Colonel Tammy Harris became the first female Wing Commander in the Canadian military.
* Commodore Jennifer Bennett became the first woman appointed Commander of the Naval Reserve and the first female to command a Formation in the Canadian military.
* Pyeon Bo-ra became the first South Korean female flight instructor.
* Pyeon Bo-ra became the first South Korean woman to compete in the Boramae Midair Shooting Competition; she won the grand prize in the low-altitude shooting category.
2008
* March: British Flight Lieutenant
Michelle Goodman, a helicopter pilot, became the first woman to be awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross.
* 23 May: Lt. Col. Pi Woo-jin, one of the first female helicopter pilots in the South Korean military, was reinstated into the military after a legal battle over her forced medical discharge after she underwent a
mastectomy
Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. A mastectomy is usually carried out to treat breast cancer. In some cases, women believed to be at high risk of breast cancer choose to have ...
for breast cancer. She was the first soldier to ever be reinstated into the South Korean military after a forced medical discharge.
* June: Corporal
Sarah Bryant became the first female British soldier to be killed in Afghanistan when she and three SAS men died in a roadside bomb.
* July:
Aafia Siddiqui
Aafia Siddiqui (also spelled Afiya; ; born 2 March 1972) is a Pakistani neuroscientist and educator who gained international attention following her conviction in the United States and is currently serving an 86-year sentence for attempted murd ...
was arrested in Afghanistan on suspicion of terrorism.
* Ofra Gutman became the first female officer in the Rabbinate Corps of the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
, although she was not a rabbi.
* Poland permitted women in combat roles, though it was not until 1999 that women were accepted in all Polish military schools. In December 2008, there were 1153 women in the Polish Army, and in 2004, a law was passed requiring women with college nursing or veterinary degrees to register for compulsory service. In December 2008, female platoon commanders deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
* Lieut Cdr.
Roberta O'Brien became the first female captain of an Irish Naval Service patrol vessel, LÉ Aisling.
*
Lone Træholt
Lone Træholt is the first woman in the Danish armed forces to obtain the rank of general. On 30 September 2016, she was promoted to brigadier general in the Royal Danish Air Force, heading the Tactical Air Staff. In 2000, Træholt became the fi ...
became the first woman in the Danish Air Force to hold the rank of colonel ().
2009
* Flt Lt Kirsty Moore became the first female aviator for the Royal Air Force's
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force (RAF) based at RAF Waddington. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-Royal Air Force team, replacing several un ...
, the RAF's aerobatic team.
* 21 January:
Samira Jassam, an Iraqi recruiter of female suicide bombers, is captured. She admits to organizing rapes against potential recruits to convince them that martyrdom was the only means to escape their shame.
["Iraq's 'female bomber recruiter'"]
''BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
'', 4 February 2009["Iraqi woman had 80 women raped to recruit suicide bombers"]
''Herald Sun
The ''Herald Sun'' is a Conservatism, conservative daily tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia, published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of the American Rupert Murdoch, Murd ...
'', 4 February 2009["Iraq Arrests Woman Tied to Bombings"]
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', 3 February 2009
* 8 April: Commander Josée Kurtz becomes the first woman to command a major Canadian warship.
* April: Lance Corporal Amy Thomas finishes her six-month tour of duty, the last two months of which she spent attached to the elite Royal Marines of 42 Command. She is believed to be the British Army's first female combatant. Women are traditionally unable to join the Marines or infantry regiments in the British military.
* August:
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf (; , ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, was a Jihadist militant and piracy, pirate group that followed the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It was based in and around Jolo and B ...
, a militant Islamic group in the Philippines, is reported to be recruiting female fighters.
* Lance Corporal
Katrina Hodge
Katrina Hodge (born 29 March 1987) is a former member of the British Army from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, who was awarded the Miss England 2009 title after Rachel Christie stepped down.
Biography
Born and raised in Tunbridge Wells, Hodge was ed ...
becomes
Miss England
Miss England is a national beauty pageant in England.
History
The contest, title owned by the Miss World organisation is organised each year by Angie Beasley, a winner of 25 beauty contests in the 1980s and has organised beauty pageants aro ...
2009.
* 25 November: ''Commandant''
Virginie Guyot
Commandant Virginie Guyot (born 30 December 1976 in Angers) is a fighter pilot of the Armée de l'Air who achieved an historical first when she was appointed leader of the Patrouille de France, becoming the first woman in the world to command a p ...
, a
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...
fighter pilot, is appointed leader of the
Patrouille de France
The (, "French Acrobatic Patrol"), also known as the (PAF), is the precision aerobatics demonstration unit of the French Air and Space Force, officially commissioned in 1953.
Using the French Aerial Aerobatics () unit of the French Air and ...
demonstration team, becoming the first woman in history to lead a military aerobatic team.
*
Karen Soria became the first female rabbi in the Canadian Forces; she was assigned to 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
* From 2009, there were 800 German female soldiers in combat units.
2010
* 1 June:
Sophia Bruun is killed on 1 June 2010 while on duty in Afghanistan; this makes her the first Danish woman soldier ever to be killed in action.
* 18 July: A Taliban leader calls for the deaths of Afghan women training to join the Afghan military.
* Divya Ajith Kumar becomes the first woman in the history of the Indian Army to receive the Sword of Honour, which is the highest award given to a cadet of the Officers Training Academy.
* The Afghanistan army gets its first female officers.
* Itunu Hotonu becomes the first Nigerian woman to be promoted to the rank of rear admiral by the Nigerian Navy.
* Lieutenant Alexandra Hansen was made the first female commanding officer of a ship (
HMNZS Pukaki) in the
Royal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; ) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of eight ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act 1913, and the subsequent acquisition of the cruiser , whi ...
.
* Lieutenant Colonel Susan Wigg of the Canadian military, one of the initial women to enroll at Royal Military College in 1980, became its first female Director of Cadets.
* Lieutenant Colonel Maryse Carmichael became the first female Commanding Officer of the Snowbirds in the Canadian military.
* Major Eleanor Taylor, the first woman in the Canadian military to lead an infantry company in a combat zone, was deployed to Afghanistan.
* Jang Se-jin became the first female pilot in the South Korean Air Force to become an instructor pilot.
2011
* Shikha Awasthi, a cadet of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) at Pune, India, becomes the first woman to receive a Sword of Honour for overall excellence at the passing-out parade of the institute. She also becomes the first graduate of AFMC to receive all three top honours, namely, the Sword of Honour, the presidents Gold Medal and the Kalinga Trophy.
* An anonymous woman becomes the first to undertake combat missions in the RAF's new Typhoon fighter.
* Ramona Go is the Philippine army's first female general.
* Captain Lisa Head is the first British female officer to be killed in Afghanistan. She is also the first British female bomb disposal expert to be killed in action.
* Ramatoulie DK Sanneh is the first female Brigadier General in Gambia.
* Rear-Admiral Jennifer Bennett is appointed as the first female Chief, Reserves and Cadets, in Canada.
* Orna Barbivay becomes the first female Major General in the Israel Defense Forces.
* Sarah West was appointed as the first female warship commander in the Royal Navy of the British Armed Forces.
* Second Lieutenant Noy, a combat soldier in the Caracal Battalion, became the first female officer to command a sniper platoon in the Israel Defense Forces.
* A 30-year-old
RAF officer (Flight Lieutenant Rachael Cadman) became the first woman to complete the
Enduroman Arch2Arc Challenge.
* Warrant Officer Class One Esther Freeborn became the first female Bandmaster in the 350-year history of the
Household Cavalry in England.
* The first female pilots joined the
Botswana Defence Force
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF, ) is the military of Botswana. The main component of the BDF is the Botswana Ground Force; there is also an air wing and a riverine patrol contingent attached to the ground forces, with 10 Panther airboats and 2 ...
.
* Proscovia Nalweyiso became the first female Brigadier General in Uganda.
* Australia decided to gradually remove all restrictions on women serving in front-line combat over a period of five years.
*
Sapper Shanti Tigga became the first female jawan in the Indian army.
* The first all-female team of skydivers of the Indian Air Force made its official debut during the annual Air Force Day parade.
* Brigadier
Simone Wilkie
Major general (Australia), Major General Simone Louise Wilkie, (née Burt, born 1964) is a retired Australian Army officer who was the Australian Deputy National Commander in the War in Afghanistan (2001–present), War in Afghanistan in 2011 a ...
became the first woman to be in command of Australian soldiers at war. Specifically, Brigadier Wilkie, 47, was National Commander, Afghanistan, and was in charge of all 1500 Australian personnel serving with ADF units and embedded with international forces in the combat zone.
*
Blessing Liman
Blessing Liman (born 13 March 1984), is a Nigerian member of the Nigerian Air Force best known for being Nigeria's first female military pilot.
Life
Blessing Liman was born on 13 March 1984 in Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria. Liman ...
became the first female pilot in the
Nigerian Air Force
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the youngest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces, established four years after the nation became independent. As at 2021, the air force is one of the largest in A ...
.
* The first woman joined the ranks of the Mexican navy's special forces.
* Defence Secretary
Philip Hammond
Philip Hammond, Baron Hammond of Runnymede (born 4 December 1955) is a British politician and life peer who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2016 to 2019 and Foreign Secretary from 2014 to 2016, having previously served as Defence ...
confirmed that women are to be allowed to serve on the submarines of the Royal Navy (the naval warfare service branch of the
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...
). The first women officers will begin serving on Vanguard-class nuclear subs in late 2013. They will be followed by female ratings in 2015, when women should also begin serving on the new Astute-class subs.
*
Robyn Walker became the first woman in the
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...
to attain the rank of Rear Admiral, and also the first woman in the
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
to take on the job of Surgeon‑General.
* Lieutenant Commander Kay Burbidge became the first female senior observer in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
.
* The
Skype scandal in the Australian military occurred when footage of a young male recruit having sex with a female classmate was streamed online to cadets in another room without her knowledge.
*September:
Polina Zherebtsova
Polina Zherebtsova ( rus, Полина Викторовна Жеребцова, p=pɐˈlʲinə ʐɨrʲɪpˈt͡sovə; 20 March 1985) is a Chechen people, Chechen Russians, Russian diarist and poet. She's the author of ''Ant in a Glass Jar'', cove ...
publishes the diary she kept as a child of
Second Chechen War
Names
The Second Chechen War is also known as the Second Chechen Campaign () or the Second Russian Invasion of Chechnya from the Chechens, Chechen insurgents' point of view.Федеральный закон № 5-ФЗ от 12 января 19 ...
.
2012
* Five women were awarded their pilots' wings in a graduation ceremony with the Israeli air force; they were the most women ever to become Israeli air force pilots at one time.
* South Korea's Navy appointed its first two female officers to command fast attack craft.
*
Florence Green, who was the last known living World War One veteran, died.
* The first Saudi Arabian women have been recruited into the country's military service, Arab News reports. However, they will be stationed as privates as Passport Control departments on only border crossings.
* It was announced that the Australian Defence Force would open all jobs in the military to women in 2013.
* Carmen Melendez de Maniglia became the first female admiral in Venezuela. She was in the Navy.
* Col. Tammy Harris became the commander of CFB Borden near Barrie, Ontario. She was the first woman to head a Canadian Forces base.
* Colonel
Marian Aleido became the first female Judge Advocate General in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
* A group of Chinese female pilots made their first solo flights in the J-10 combat aircraft, becoming the first female air force pilots capable of flying the multirole aircraftthe country's most advanced fighter jet.
* Rear Adm. Robin Braun became the first female commander of the U.S. Navy Reserve, and the first woman to lead any Reserve component of the U.S. military.
* Lance-Corporal Jacinda Baker, 26, became New Zealand's first female soldier killed in the war in Afghanistan, and in fact New Zealand's first female soldier killed since the Vietnam War.
*
Sherry-Ann Edwards became the first female fleet chief petty officer in the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard.
* A British soldier, a Fijian national serving as a gunner with the Royal Artillery, gave birth to a boy while serving in Afghanistan. The birth, which occurred in a field hospital, is thought to be the first time a serving member of Britain's military went into labor in a combat zone.
* Leading Hand Claire Butler, 29, from
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ), colloquially known as Boro, is a port town in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Lying to the south of the River Tees, Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside Built up area, built-up area and the Tees Va ...
, was named the first crew member on the largest warship built for the Royal Navy, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Bosses believe the ship, which will have 1,600 crew members when fully operational, will head to Portsmouth in 2017, with flying trials beginning in 2018 and deployment possible two years later.
* For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force is preparing two of its women pilots for combat roles. Flight Lieutenants Alka Shukla and M P Shumathi were trained at the Yelahanka station in flying twin-engine Mi-8, a utility and medium-size assault helicopter. Both pilots are at their operational units where they will continue with their armament and special heli-operations training.
* Zoe Briant-Evans, a Royal Navy Officer from
Penzance
Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...
, became the first woman appointed to the post of First Lieutenant at
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, also known as Dartmouth, is the naval academy of the United Kingdom and the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy. It is located on a hill overlooking the port of Dartmouth, Devon, En ...
(BRNC) in Dartmouth.
* Mona Abdo became Israel's first female Arab combat commander.
*
Zubaida al-Meeki became the first female officer to quit President
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
's forces to join the Free Syrian Army.
* Lieutenant Commander Kay Burbidge became the first woman in the
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...
to have 3000 flying hours.
* Lt. Nilofor Rhmani became the first female pilot in the Afghanistan air force to fly solo under the air force's pilot training program.
* Channing Day, a British servicewoman, became the first woman killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. She was also the first female soldier from Northern Ireland to be killed in Afghanistan, according to the British army.
* Commander Sandra Walker became the first woman to take command of a major tanker in New Zealand. It was the 138m replenishment tanker, HMNZS Endeavour.
* Dalva Maria Carvalho Mendes became the first female two-star rear admiral in the Brazilian Navy.
* Australia made a parliamentary apology to mainly female victims of sexual and physical abuse in the military and set up a compensation fund after thousands of claims of rape and sexual assault. A report in 2011 detailed more than 1,000 claims of sexual and other forms of abuse in the Australian military.
* The Royal Australian Navy appointed Capt. Angela Bond as the first female commanding officer of naval base HMAS Stirling near Rockingham.
* An anonymous woman became the first Orthodox Jewish female combat navigator in Israel.
*
Akissi Kouamé became the first female general in the army of the
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
.
2013
* Pentagon lifts ban on American women in combat.
* The Syrian government started recruiting female soldiers to perform security checks on veiled women.
* In an address to her people, a Russian woman appeared in a video announcing her decision of joining the
Free Syrian Army
The Free Syrian Army (FSA; ) is a Big tent, big-tent coalition of decentralized Syrian opposition (2011–2024), Syrian opposition rebel groups in the Syrian civil war founded on 29 July 2011 by Colonel Riad al-Asaad and six officers who defe ...
.
* The first female
Afghan National Army
The Islamic National Army (, ), also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Army and the Afghan Army, is the army, land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The roots of an army in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early 18th century when th ...
noncommissioned officers graduated from Regional Military Training Center-West.
* Captain Jannatul Ferdous became
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army () is the land warfare branch, and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to defend the land of Bangladesh from any external attack. Control of personnel and operations is ad ...
's first female paratrooper.
* Amira al-Aarour became the first Syrian woman to hold a leading post in the
Free Syrian Army
The Free Syrian Army (FSA; ) is a Big tent, big-tent coalition of decentralized Syrian opposition (2011–2024), Syrian opposition rebel groups in the Syrian civil war founded on 29 July 2011 by Colonel Riad al-Asaad and six officers who defe ...
.
* An all-female battalion was armed by the Syrian government to back the rule of
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
.
* In Syria,
Women's Protection Units
The Women's Protection Units (YPJ) or Women's Defense Units is an all-female militia involved in the Syrian civil war. The YPJ is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the armed forces of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and Ea ...
, the first all-female battalion of Kurdish women was created.
The battalion is named the Martyr Rokan Battalion.
It fought against the regime of
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
and the
Islamic State
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...
.
* Eva Lizet Julca Anaya, a 23-year-old native of Peru, became the first foreign female cadet in the history of the
Korea Military Academy
Korea Military Academy (KMA) is the leading South Korean institution for the education and training of officer cadets for the Republic of Korea Army. Along with the Korea Army Academy (Yeongcheon), it produces the largest number of senior offi ...
.
* Taiwan decided to cancel the 8 percent limit for women serving in its military, as part of efforts to recruit more female soldiers.
* Allison Jones, from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, became the first woman appointed to fire the Edinburgh's One o'clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle.
* The Chinese army's first female special warfare unit was officially established in a brigade of the Nanjing Military Region.
* The Maritime Self-Defense Force of Japan named its first female skippers for destroyers used in training exercises; they were
Miho Otani
Captain Miho Otani (大谷 三穂) (born May 28, 1971) is an officer in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. She was the first woman to become the captain of a naval training vessel and a destroyer. Otani was also a member of the first female ...
and
Ryoko Azuma, who were the first female graduates of the National Defense Academy of Japan.
* Capt. Lee Na-kyum and Capt. Oh Hyun-jin became the first all-female crew to fly a C-130 cargo aircraft in the South Korean Air Force.
* Brigadier Dianne Gallasch was named as the first female commandant of the
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon, also known simply as Duntroon, is the Australian Army's Officer (armed forces), officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, Australian Capital Territory, Duntroon in Canberra, Australian Capi ...
, in the institution's 102-year history.
* The first female special operation company of the Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAA) carried out the first parachute landing training in an area of North China on 14 May 2013. The 15 participating female special operation members parachuted successfully from 800 meters to 1,000 meters in the air at the first try. The female special operation company was founded in a brigade of the 38th Combined Corps of the Beijing Military Area Command (MAC) of the PLA on 30 March 2013. It is also known that besides the "August 1" Aerobatics Team and the airborne force of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF), it is the first time for the PLAA to organize air parachute landing for organic female soldiers.
* Nilofar Rahmani, the first female pilot of Afghanistan to be trained inside the country earned her flying wing in May after graduating from Undergraduate Pilot Training.
She is also the first female pilot to be trained in the
Afghan Air Force
The General Command of the Air Force (, Dari: ) also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Air Force and the Afghan Air Force, is the air force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces.
The Royal Afghan Air Force was established in 1921 under the reign o ...
in more than 30 years.
*
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
's Defense Ministry announced that, for the first time, women could be students at the nation's military schools.
* Norway's parliament voted to conscript women into its armed forces, thus making Norway the first European and first
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
country to make military service compulsory for both genders.
* 16 female students passed the final evaluation to become fighter-pilots and received their bachelor's degrees at a graduation ceremony in Shijiazhuang Aviation College in North China's Hebei province on 25 June 2013, thus becoming China's first female fighter-pilots.
* Army. Lieutenant Ganeve Lalji became the first-ever female officer to be posted as the aide-de-camp (French for field assistance) of a top general in the army of India.
* The first female commanding officer of a helicopter squadron at
RAF Shawbury
Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.
History The First World War
The station at Shawbury was first used for milita ...
, Becky Frater, started work. The squadron is 705 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), one of the two basic helicopter training squadrons at the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) at RAF Shawbury.
* On 5 July, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro promoted Carmen Melendez to admiral-in-chief rank and appointed her as the first female minister of defense in the history of Venezuela.
* Sergeant Sophie Hobson, 35, who is based at
RAF Brize Norton
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton is the largest List of Royal Air Force stations, station of the Royal Air Force. Situated in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, it is close to the village of Brize Norton and the tow ...
, became the first female ground engineer (GE) to work on the Hercules aircraft.
* Deann Davis became the first female ship rider from the
Royal Bahamas Defence Force
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is the military of the Bahamas. Since the Bahamas does not have an army or an air force, its navy composes the entirety of its armed forces. Under The Defence Act, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has been m ...
(RBDF) to accompany a ship with the U.S. Coast Guard.
* Pakistan's first group of female paratroopers completed their training.
Captain Kiran Ashraf was declared the best paratrooper of the batch of 24, the military said, while Captain Sadia, referred to by one name, became the first female officer in the Pakistan military to jump from a MI-17 helicopter.
* Lieutenant Colonel Bobeth O'Garro was confirmed as the Commandant for the
Cayman Islands Cadet Corps
The Cayman Islands Cadet Corps (CICC) is a youth organisation in the Cayman Islands for male and female secondary school students between age 12 and 17. It was established in March 2002.
Core subjects
* Drill and Turnout
* Military Knowledge
...
, thus becoming the first female Commandant to lead a Corps in the Caribbean region.
* The
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
appointed Elaine West as its first ever woman to hold the position of Air Vice-Marshal, and the U.K. military said it would encourage women to aim for high-ranking careers. As Air Vice-Marshal Elaine West had the highest rank a woman in the British military had ever held at the time.
* For the first time in Myanmar's history, the Ministry of Defense invited women to join the army in jobs other than army nurse.
An advertisement in the Myanmar Ahlin newspaper said the new cadets must be single, at least 5 feet, 3 inches (160 centimeters) tall, between 25 and 30 years of age, and weigh no more than 130 pounds (59 kilograms).
The ad said successful candidates would be offered commissioned posts, starting as second lieutenants.
* In a first, a female IDF
srael Defense Forcessoldier was called up to the Torah during a service on a military base.
* Private Elise Toft became the first Norwegian woman to be awarded a combat medal since World War II; she was honored for efforts during fighting in Afghanistan in 2011.
* Luzviminda Camacho became the first female Filipino officer to head a Philippine peacekeeping force.
* The Israeli Defense Forces announced they will, for the first time, allow a (MTF) transgender woman to serve in the army as a female soldier.
* Russian war correspondent
Elena Milashina
Elena Valeryevna Milashina (; born 1977) is a Russian investigative journalist for ''Novaya Gazeta.'' She has received multiple awards for her work.
Milashina has been threatened and attacked over her work multiple times over the course of mor ...
was given the
International Women of Courage Award
The International Women of Courage Award, also referred to as the U.S. Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award, is an American award presented annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have ...
for her journalism in
Chechnya
Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...
.
* All male-only employment categories in the
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
were opened to women then serving, with the exception of Special Forces.
2014
* Special Forces were opened to women serving with the
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...
.
* The
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
appointed Major Oshrat Bacher as Israel's first female combat battalion commander.
* Dr. Shani became the first female combat doctor in an elite counterterror unit in the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
(specifically, the Duvdevan counterterrorism unit).
* The
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
decided to allow female kosher supervisors to work in its kitchens on military bases.
* The
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
announced the appointment of Or Cohen as their first female Navy captain.
* Sri Lanka's military admitted its soldiers had abused and tortured women recruits.
* Myanmar's military appointed its first women representatives to parliament; the two, Lieutenant-Colonel Soe Soe Myint and Lieutenant-Colonel San Thida, were sworn into the lower house of parliament in 2014.
*
Antonette Wemyss-Gorman became the first female commanding officer in the Jamaica Defence Force's Coast Guard.
* South Korean female soldiers will be able to apply to all combat roles in the Army starting this year, as part of the military's efforts to integrate more women into closed units, the defense ministry said. The Army will allow all female soldiers and noncommissioned officers to apply for artillery and armored units and air defense forces in a bid to lower the gender barrier. The Navy is set to allow female soldiers except in four special forces units, including the Underwater Demolition Team, Underwater Demolition Unit, Ship Salvage Unit and Communications Intelligence Team. The Army Military Academy will also open the door for 20 female cadets next year for the first time since its establishment in 1968. The ministry plans to increase the number of female officers and noncommissioned officers to 7 percent and 5 percent of the total forces, respectively, by 2015.
* The German Navy appointed Janine Asseln as its first female submarine officer.
* French Defense Minister
Jean-Yves Le Drian
Jean-Yves Le Drian (; born 30 June 1947) is a French politician who served as Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs in the governments of Prime Ministers Édouard Philippe and Jean Castex (2017–2022) and as Minister of Defence under Preside ...
presented a report on the problem of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the French military and announced the French military's first effort to fix it.
The report cited 86 reported cases of sexual assault or harassment since the start of 2013 alone.
* French Defense Minister
Jean-Yves Le Drian
Jean-Yves Le Drian (; born 30 June 1947) is a French politician who served as Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs in the governments of Prime Ministers Édouard Philippe and Jean Castex (2017–2022) and as Minister of Defence under Preside ...
announced that three women would join a nuclear submarine crew by 2017, which would be a first for France.
* Maxine Stiles, Alexandra Olsson, and Penny Thackray became the first female submariners in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
of the United Kingdom.
* The
Chinese People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four Military branch, services—People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Ground Force, People's ...
used women soldiers as honor guards during a diplomatic ceremony for the first time.
* Over the weekend of 24–25 May, women in the villages of Attagara and Kawuri in
Borno state,
Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
disarmed 10
Boko Haram
Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...
insurgents who tried to attack their communities, and lynched four of the attackers.
* Mariam Hassan Salem al-Mansouri became the first Emirati woman to hold the rank of fighter pilot in the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
* Major General
Kristin Lund, from Norway, became the first woman appointed to command a United Nations peacekeeping force.
She was appointed as the commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus.
* Algeria appointed three women army Generals, making it the Arab country with the biggest number of high-ranking female army commanders at the time.
Another female General had previously been appointed by the Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika in November 2010 as the first general of the Armée Nationale Populaire (ANP) or
People's National Army
The People's National Army (PNA) () is the military of the Algerian republic. It is the direct successor of the National Liberation Army (ALN), the armed wing of the nationalist National Liberation Front, which fought French colonial rule du ...
.
* The Women's League of Burma put out a statement citing the harassment of Chin women activists by authorities for their involvement in protests calling for greater women's rights and an end to sexual violence in Burma as evidence that the
Burma Army protects rapists that belong to it.
* Third Warrant Officer Shirley Ng became the first female
Red Lion parachutist to jump at the National Day Parade in Singapore.
* The Israel Defense Forces Artillery Corps opened its elite unit to female soldiers for the first time. Six female soldiers from last August's draft class passed the physical aptitude tests that allow them to join the elite Moran, Meitar, and Skyrider units, part of the Artillery Corps' David's Sling Formation.
* 2 November: French war correspondent
Ghislaine Dupont is abducted and murdered in
Mali
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
.
* For the first time in more than half a century, a class of women military cadets graduated from Burma's Defense Services Academy.
* It is reported that about 1/3 of the members of Syrian Kurdish
People's Protection Units
The People's Defense Units (YPG), also called People's Protection Units, is a libertarian socialist US-backed Kurds in Syria, Kurdish militant group in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The YPG mostl ...
(YPG), guerrilla offshoots of the Democratic Union Party who fight the Islamic State (IS), are women (
Women's Protection Units
The Women's Protection Units (YPJ) or Women's Defense Units is an all-female militia involved in the Syrian civil war. The YPJ is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the armed forces of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and Ea ...
).
* During the
2014 Israel–Gaza conflict
The 2014 Gaza War, also known as Operation Protective Edge (, ), and Battle of the Withered Grain (), was a military operation launched by Israel on 8 July 2014 in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory that has been governed by Hamas since ...
about 50 Israeli women served inside Gaza, which was the highest number during an Israeli conflict.
* Two female soldiers in the South Korean army, Staff Sgt. Kim Min Kyoung and Staff Sgt. Kwon Min Zy, earned the American Expert Infantryman Badge, making them the first women, Korean or American, to do so.
* Colonel Leena Gaurav of the Indian Army's Judge Advocate General's (JAG) branch became the first female officer in India to attain the Colonel rank in a branch of service other than the Army Medical Corps.
* A Canadian-born immigrant to Israel,
Gill Rosenberg, became the first foreign woman to join
Kurds
Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
battling the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
.
* Maj. Gal became the first woman chosen as Israeli Air Force deputy squadron commander.
* For the first time in India's history, a special squad of women troops was deployed deep inside jungles to undertake active and prolonged operations against Naxalites.
* In July 2014, Deepika Misra became the first woman pilot ever to join a formation display team in India, when she joined the
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
's helicopter display team Sarang.
* In August 2014,
Sharon Nesmith
General Dame Sharon Patricia Moffat Nesmith, ( Moffat; born June 1970) is a senior British Army officer. She has been Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff since June 2024, having served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff from August 2022 to May ...
became the first woman to command a British Army brigade when she was chosen to command the
1st Signal Brigade.
* Hsieh Shu-chen became Taiwan's first female Army ranger.
*Norway established first all-female special forces group called Jegertroppen, Hunter Troop in English.
2015
* On 29 January, the first recruit batch of female soldiers passed out after one year training in
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army () is the land warfare branch, and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to defend the land of Bangladesh from any external attack. Control of personnel and operations is ad ...
.
*
Êzîdxan Women's Units
The Êzîdxan Women's Units ( or YJÊ) is a Yazidi all-women militia formed in Iraq in 2015 to protect the Yazidi community in the wake of attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other Islamist groups that view Yazidis as pagan ...
are formed.
* Wing Commander Nikki Thomas took charge of the newly reformed
No. 12 Squadron RAF at
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Marham, commonly abbreviated RAF Marham is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Marham in the county of Norfolk, East Anglia.
It is home to No. 138 Expeditionary Air Wing (138 EAW) and, as such, is one of the RAF's ' ...
in Norfolk, thus becoming the first woman to command an RAF fast jet squadron.
* Wing Commander Pooja Thakur became the first woman to lead the ceremonial Guard of Honour at
Rashtrapathi Bhavan.
* For the first time, all-women contingents of air force, army, and navy personnel marched in India's
Republic Day
Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics.
List
January 1 January in Slovak Republic
The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...
parade.
* Danielle Welch, the first woman to become a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
"ab-initio" Lynx helicopter pilot ("ab-initio" meaning she trained from start to finish on the same aircraft) received her wings from Prince Andrew.
* The
Botswana Defence Force
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF, ) is the military of Botswana. The main component of the BDF is the Botswana Ground Force; there is also an air wing and a riverine patrol contingent attached to the ground forces, with 10 Panther airboats and 2 ...
recruited its first female privates.
* North Korea is making military service mandatory for young women in a bid to strengthen the nation's armed forces, sources inside North Korea told DailyNK. The measure is said to apply to women aged between 17 and 20, and has been handed down to mobilization offices in each province, city, and county. "Unlike men, who have to serve for 10 years, mandatory service for women is only up to the age of 23", the source said.
* Gina Reque Terán was officially promoted to general, thus becoming Bolivia's first female army general.
She is the daughter of retired general
Luis Reque Teran, who led the final operation against
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara (14th May 1928 – 9 October 1967) was an Argentines, Argentine Communist revolution, Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and Military theory, military theorist. A majo ...
.
* Gina Reque Terán became the first woman in Bolivia's history to assume the post of chief of the Armed Forces High Command; she was sworn in 30 December.
* Indian Navy Dornier crashed during a night sortie, and Lieutenant
Kiran Shekhawat was among those who died there, making her the first female Indian officer to die in the line of duty. Lt Kiran Shekhawat was in combat role as an observer, flying tactical sorties over ocean and for tracking and engaging with hostile ships illegally crossing maritime boundaries.
* North Korea introduced its first pair of female pilots of supersonic fighters, Jo Kum-hyang and Rim Sol, during a flight drill attended by leader
Kim Jong-un
Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...
, state media reported.
*
Gan Siow Huang
Gan Siow Huang ( zh, s=颜晓芳, p=Yán Xiǎofāng; born 28 September 1974) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Minister of State for Education and Minister of State for Manpower concurrently sinc ...
became the first female general officer in the Singapore Armed Forces with her promotion to Brigadier-General.
* Carla Higgins was appointed the first female commanding officer of the Faslane Patrol Boat Squadron, which is in Britain.
* The British Army appointed
Susan Ridge as its first female general. Now-Major General Susan Ridge is Director General
Army Legal Services
The Army Legal Services Branch (ALS) is a branch of the Adjutant-General's Corps (AGC) in the British Army. Before 1992, the branch existed as the independent Army Legal Corps (ALC).
History
Many of the functions of the ALS were once carried ou ...
.
*
Fatumah Ahmed became the first female Brigadier of the Kenya Defence Forces.
* Marise Payne became Australia's first female defense minister.
* Lieutenant
Ouma Laouali became Niger's first female pilot; she was one of the Nigerien Airforce members trained by the United States as part of a program to help fight the Islamist terrorist group
Boko Haram
Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...
.
*
Mariam Mukhtar became Pakistan's first female fighter pilot to die in the line of duty.
* The
Bolivian Air Force
The Bolivian Air Force (BAF; or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces.
History
By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft ( Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Condor II and Junkers ...
's first military pilot completed her solo-flight in August 2015.
* The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst appointed
Lucy Giles as the first female college commander in its history.
* The Air Force of Zimbabwe promoted Ellen Chiweshe to Air Commodore, the third highest rank in Zimbabwe's air force; this made her the first female Air Commodore in the Air Force of Zimbabwe and its highest ranking woman.
* Lee Hyun-ok was promoted to major general, which was the first time a female ethnic Korean became a general officer in the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
*Japan's Air Self Defense Forces authorized women to operate fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft November 2015.
* The
Êzîdxan Women's Units
The Êzîdxan Women's Units ( or YJÊ) is a Yazidi all-women militia formed in Iraq in 2015 to protect the Yazidi community in the wake of attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other Islamist groups that view Yazidis as pagan ...
is a
Yazidi
Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish-speaking endogamous religious group indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. The majority of Yazidis remaining in ...
all-women militia formed in
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
in 2015 to protect the Yazidi community in the wake of attacks by the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
and other
Islamist groups that view Yazidis as pagan infidels.
2016
* Capt. Kate Alfin, a Black Hawk Pilot with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Ansbach Germany, graduated from the Allied Winter Course at the Norwegian School of Winter Warfare; she was the first female Soldier from an allied NATO military to complete the course.
* The president of India announced that women will be allowed to occupy combat roles in all sections of India's army, navy and air force.
* The
Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army () is the land warfare branch, and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to defend the land of Bangladesh from any external attack. Control of personnel and operations is ad ...
deployed a contingent under the lead of a female officer (Lt. Col. Nazma Begum) for the first time ever in the UN peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast.
* Constance Ama Emefa Edjeani-Afenu became the Ghana Armed Forces' first female brigadier general.
* Trooper Sara Spokes joined the 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers as the first female cavalry scout in the Australian armoured corps.
* The Royal Thai Air Force started recruiting female pilots for the first time in its history, and Suwattana Chanthalert became the first woman to apply for a job as a pilot in the Royal Thai Air Force. Later in the same year, Karnchanok Janyarak, Peerasri Jalpaisarn, Chanakarn Sornjarn, Sireethorn Lawansatian and Chonnisa Supawannapong became the first women pilot trainees in the Royal Thai Air Force.
* Miho Otani became Japan's first female captain of a destroyer.
*
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
became the longest serving Captain-General of the
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...
, with 64 years of service.
* Jennie Carignan became Canada's first female combat officer to rise to the rank of general.
Specifically, she was promoted to brigadier-general (one star) and put in charge of the Canadian army's day-to-day operations.
* India's first women fighter pilots –
Bhawana Kanth,
Avani Chaturvedi and
Mohana Singh Jitarwal – were commissioned in the Indian Air Force.
* Maureen O'Brien became the first female to be promoted to the rank of Colonel with the Irish Defence Forces.
* A ban on women serving in close combat roles in the British military was lifted by Prime Minister David Cameron.
* Turkey appointed Esra Özatay as its first female air force wing commander; she took over the command of the 134th Squadron of the Turkish Air Force.
* A transgender woman who was a soldier in the British army, Chloe Allen, became the first female to serve on the British army frontline.
* Karyn Thompson became the first female commander at Waiouru Military Camp, which makes her the first such at any New Zealand army camp.
* Male Israeli soldiers can request not to serve alongside women and to be excused from any military event that goes against their beliefs, according to a directive published in 2016. Such soldiers can now request not to serve with women nor share living spaces. Formal events, such as Independence Day and Memorial Day ceremonies, Holocaust Remembrance Day, services for fallen soldiers and
Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin (; , ; 1 March 1922 – 4 November 1995) was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the prime minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–1977, and from 1992 until Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, his ass ...
's memorial day, will still be required and more difficult for soldiers to get out of, according to the directive. Other events, such as cultural or educational ones, including where females sing in front of men, will be at the discretion of the unit's commander, according to the directive.
* Albania's Defense Ministry stated that Manushaqe Shehu was given the title of Brigadier General from 1 December 2016, which makes her the first female army general in Albania.
* Indian Merchant Navy Captain Radhika Menon became the first woman to receive the International Maritime Organisation Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.
* The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) announced on 5 December that it had appointed its first ever female helicopter pilot instructor, Jung Eun-hee.
* In 2016, Armed Forces of Ukraine Vitaliy Golota issued a decree of the Ministry of Defense No. 337 in revolutionary amendments to allow women to hold positions as snipers, intelligence officers, and commanders of military hardware.
* Jang Se-jin became the first woman in the South Korean Air Force to become a group captain.
* Alleged terrorist Allison Ekren allegedly became leader of an Islamic State unit called "Khatiba Nusaybah" in the Syrian city of Raqqa in late 2016. The all-female unit was trained in the use of AK-47 rifles, grenades and suicide belts.
*
Lone Træholt
Lone Træholt is the first woman in the Danish armed forces to obtain the rank of general. On 30 September 2016, she was promoted to brigadier general in the Royal Danish Air Force, heading the Tactical Air Staff. In 2000, Træholt became the fi ...
became the first female general in Denmark.
2017
* Jang Se-jin became the first woman in the South Korean Air Force to win the grand prize in the airdrop category at the Boramae Midair Shooting Competition.
* Proscovia Nalweyiso became the first female Major-General in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF); this also made her the first woman soldier to hold such a rank in East Africa.
* Nibal Madhat Badr became the first woman to assume the rank of Brigadier General in the Syrian Armed Forces.
* Norway announced its first-ever appointment of a woman (Tonje Skinnarland) to head its air force.
* A ban on female army officers in Turkey wearing the Muslim headscarf was lifted by the government. The new rules apply to regular women military officers, non-commissioned officers and female cadets. They are allowed to wear a headscarf under their caps or berets as long as they are the same color as their uniforms and are not patterned.
* While conscription has not been abolished in the Netherlands, compulsory attendance has. Since 25 February 2017, women will also be conscripted in the Dutch Armed Forces.
* Sweden instituted a military draft for both men and women.
* Julie-Anne Wood became the first female
Maritime & Coastguard Agency
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an executive agency of the United Kingdom that is responsible for implementing British and international maritime law and safety policy. It works to prevent the loss of lives at sea and to prevent mar ...
's Head of Maritime Operations in Her Majesty's Coastguard.
In 2014 she temporarily covered the role of Head of Maritime Operations, and in January 2017, she was appointed to the position permanently.
Being in this position made her the highest ranked woman in Her Majesty's Coastguard.
* Czech President Milos Zeman promoted Lenka Smerdova to the rank of general, making her the first woman with the rank of general in the country's history.
*The Czech Republic does not have women in close combat positions. The Minister of Defense in the Czech Republic passed guidelines enforcing equal opportunities in the Czech Armed Force, however it does not imply women in combat. Consequently, women are taken out of units where there's combat expected.
* Lisa Hunn became the first woman to assume command of a New Zealand Navy frigate (the frigate HMNZS Te Mana).
* Lorna Gray was appointed as the first female commanding officer of an RNZN offshore patrol vessel (HMNZS Otago).
* Catherine Bowa became the first female aircraft engineer in the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.
* The appointment of Captain (Navy) Geneviève Bernatchez as the fifteenth (and first female) Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Canadian Forces was announced.
* A Canadian soldier, Megan Couto, became the first female infantry officer to command troops guarding
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
at Buckingham Palace.
* Fatma Boudouani was promoted to Major-General, making her Algeria's first female to reach this top rank at the National People's Army.
* Brenda Tinsley became the first female commander of a squadron at
22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay; specifically, she became the commander of 51 Aerospace Control and Warning (Operational Training) Squadron.
* The Royal Air Force of Britain's ground-fighting force became open to women for the first time, making the Royal Air Force the first branch of the British military to open every role to female service personnel.
* Rohana Jupri became the first woman in the history of the Royal Malaysian Navy to be appointed captain.
* 13 Israeli women graduated the Israeli army's combat tank operators 5 December 2017, becoming the first females to do so.
*
Jette Albinus
Jette Albinus (born 1966) is the first woman in the Royal Danish Army to hold the rank of general. She was promoted on 11 September 2017 when she was also entrusted with taking command of the Danish Home Guard.
Biography
Born on 8 April 1966, Jett ...
became the first woman in the
Royal Danish Army
The Royal Danish Army (; ; ) is the land-based branch of the Danish Armed Forces, together with the Danish Home Guard. For the last decade, the Royal Danish Army has undergone a massive transformation of structures, equipment and training methods ...
to hold the rank of general.
2018
* As of January 2018, Uruguay implemented an all-female M-24 tank crew in the Uruguayan National Army's Armored Infantry Battalion No. 13. The team is complete with 15 soldiers and four M-24s under the command of Second Lieutenant María Eugenia García.
*
Avani Chaturvedi became the first female pilot of the Indian Air Force to complete a solo flight in a MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft.
* Saudi Arabia allowed women to join its military for the first time.
* Japan's navy appointed its first woman to command a warship squadron, Ryoko Azuma.
* Amisah Kuiming, a Royal Malaysian Navy officer, became the first woman from rank and file to receive the Royal Malaysian Navy's Sailor of the Year award.
*
Phetogo Molawa became the first woman and the first black person to take command of a South African Airforce (SAAF) installation. Specifically, she became the new commanding officer of the SAAF base in Port Elizabeth.
* For the first time in
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
history, four female soldiers, including a new immigrant from England, became tank commanders; they were the Israel Defense Forces' first female tank commanders.
*
Fatumah Ahmed became the first female Major General in the Kenya Defence Forces.
* Sereima Naiqovu became the Fiji Navy's first female Commander-of-the-Day.
* A woman was named the first female pilot to command an Israel Air Force flight squadron.
* Janneke Olthuis became the first woman to top a New Zealand Defence Force survival course known as the Aumangea programme.
*
Misa Matsushima
First Lieutenant (born ) is the first female fighter pilot in Japan.
Matsushima graduated from the Japan National Defense Academy in March 2014 and obtained her pilot's license in October 2016. Matsushima initially trained to be a transport an ...
became Japan's first female fighter pilot.
* Esita Batiniqila became the first female officer in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Navy arm to be offered a scholarship to pursue further studies overseas.
* The Bangladesh Army obtained its first female major general, Dr
Susane Giti.
* Liudmyla Shugaley was named general and appointed the head of the Military Medical Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine. Because of this, she became the first woman to have been awarded the title of Major General in Ukraine's history.
* It was announced that women were allowed to apply for all roles in the British military, including the Royal Armoured Corps.
*
Alenka Ermenc
Alenka Ermenc, born 5 September 1963, is an officer in the Slovenian Armed Forces who served as Chief of the General Staff. She was the first woman to hold the position of Chief of defence within NATO forces.
Military career
Ermenc's military car ...
became the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Major general in the
Slovenian Armed Forces
The Slovenian Armed Forces or Slovenian Army (SAF; ; 'SV'' are the armed forces of Slovenia. Since 2003, it is organized as a fully professional standing army. The Commander-in-Chief of the SAF is the President of the Republic of Slovenia, ...
.
*
Alenka Ermenc
Alenka Ermenc, born 5 September 1963, is an officer in the Slovenian Armed Forces who served as Chief of the General Staff. She was the first woman to hold the position of Chief of defence within NATO forces.
Military career
Ermenc's military car ...
became
Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff.
List
* Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia)
* Chief of General Staff (Afghanistan)
* Chief of the General Staff (Albania)
* C ...
, which made her the first woman to hold that position in Slovenia and in
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
.
* Peruvian Army officers Lourdes Aurelia Barriga Abarca and María Magdalena Dibós Mori became the first female colonels in the Peruvian Army in October 2018.
* On 25 October 2018, the United Kingdom opened combat roles for women. Women currently serving at the time were eligible to transfer to infantry roles within the British Army, and recruits were made able to apply for infantry after 21 December 2018.
* Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force ended a ban on women on Japan's submarines.
* Sulochana Poudel became the first woman officer in the Nepali Army to enlist in S.N. 25 Army Command and Staff Course.
2019
* Switzerland's first female fighter pilot was admitted officially into the Swiss Air Force 1 January 2019. Fanny "Shotty" Chollet is the first woman to be allowed to fly at F/A 18 outside of the United States military.
*The Indian Air Force inducted Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal as its first woman flight engineer.
* For the first time, a female soldier completed infantry training in the British army.
* Joselyn Bandarlipe became the first female officer to lead a brigade in the Philippine Army.
* Bhawana Kanth became the first female pilot in the Indian Air Force to qualify to undertake combat missions in a fighter jet.
* Three female officers of the Indian Air Force became India's first all-female crew to fly a medium lift helicopter.
* Mohana Singh became the first woman fighter pilot in India to become fully operational by day on a Hawk advanced jet aircraft.
*
Minty Agarwal became the first woman in India's military history awarded the
Yudh Seva Medal
The Yudh Seva Medal () is one of India's military decorations for distinguished service during wartime. It is awarded for a high degree of distinguished service in an operational context, which includes times of war, conflict, or hostilities and ma ...
.
* The Supreme Court of India granted women officers the legal right to be considered for permanent commissions for a long tenure with the Indian Air Force.
*
Shaliza Dhami became the first female officer to be given a permanent commission for a long tenure with the Indian Air Force.
*
Shaliza Dhami became the first female flight commander in India.
* Anjali Singh became the first female Indian Air Force Officer to be posted as a military diplomat at an Indian Mission abroad.
* Lt.-Col. G (her full name not given) became commander of the 122 squadron, the Israel Air Force's intelligence unit based out of the Nevatim Airbase in the South, which made her the first woman to lead an Israel Air Force squadron.
* Melissa Ross became the first woman to achieve the rank of Commodore in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
* Jang Se-jin became the first female battalion commander in South Korea.
* The changing of the guards at the State House gates in Fiji included for the first time female guards from the military.
* Kang Sun-young was promoted to become South Korea's first female two-star general.
* Marie-Herene Maillet became the first female Canadian Armed Forces member to earn a perfect score on the annual FORCE Test.
2020
*
Zeina Akar
Zeina Akar ( Akar; ; born 1964) is a Lebanese politician who served as the Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon from 21 January 2020 to 10 September 2021. She was the first female defence minister in the Arab world.
Early life ...
became the first female defence minister in Lebanon and the Arab world.
* Risa Takenouchi became the first female student admitted to Japan's national naval submarine academy.
* Yasmin Williams became the first female to pass out of the Infantry Training Centre with the Welsh Guards.
* Rosie Wild became the first woman in the British Army to pass the All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection (AAPPS).
* Janet Laurena became the first woman in the history of the Philippine Army to be appointed commander of the 1st Infantry Division.
* India's Supreme Court ruled that the government must grant permanent commission and command positions to women military officers equally with men military officers.
*
Ruchi Sharma became the first female operational paratrooper in the Indian Army.
* Georgia Sandover became the first woman to join the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
Regiment.
*
Women in the Mexican Drug War served with and/or were harmed by all belligerents.
* Ajeng Tresna Dwi Wijayanti became the first female fighter pilot in the Indonesian military.
* Dewa Ayu Ardikna Suari was named by the Indonesian Air Force as its first female loadmaster.
* Nigar Johar became the first female lieutenant general in the Pakistan Army.
* Tahlia Britton became the Irish Navy's first female diver.
* Roberta O'Brien became the first woman in the Irish Navy to achieve the rank of Commander.
* Nigerian Air Force Flying Officer OO Oke became the first female pilot to fly solo on the L-39ZA in the history of 403 Flying Training School Kano.
* The Dominican Republic's Air Force (FARD) announced the first woman in the Dominican Republic's aeronautical history to command a flight operations squadron: Lt. Col. Lee Geady Mateo Ramírez commanding the Air Transport Squadron of the FARD.
* The first women in Japan became certified to serve as crew members aboard a Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine.
* For the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force women became pilots; the women were Pilot Officer ADPL Gunarathe and Pilot Officer RT Weerawardana.
* The Serbian Army inducted Ana Perisic as their first woman attack aircraft pilot.
* LeeAnn Tucker became the first female soldier from the
Royal Bermuda Regiment
The Royal Bermuda Regiment (RBR) is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is a single Territorial Army (United Kingdom), territorial infantry battalion#British Army, battalion that was formed on the amalgamation ...
to complete the
Sandhurst officers' course.
* Patricia O’Sullivan became the first woman in the history of the Irish Naval Service to achieve the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
* The
Royal Malaysian Navy
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN, ; Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ) is the naval arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces. RMN is the main agency responsible for the country's maritime surveillance and defence operations. RMN's area of operation consists of 603,2 ...
made Rohana Jupri its first woman to be promoted to First Admiral.
* Lt. O (rest of name not given), from Boston, became Israel's first American female Air Force pilot.
2021
*
Sharon Nesmith
General Dame Sharon Patricia Moffat Nesmith, ( Moffat; born June 1970) is a senior British Army officer. She has been Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff since June 2024, having served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff from August 2022 to May ...
became the first woman to command a British division-level formation in 2021.
* Yvonne Huynh was killed by a roadside bomb, making her the first woman from the French military to die in Mali.
* Radhika Thapa became the first female soldier in the Nepali Army to have completed the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare (CIJW) course.
* Lt.-Gen Frances Allen became the first woman appointed as the Canadian military's vice-chief of defence staff.
* Brig.-Gen.
Lise Bourgon was named as the
Royal Military College Royal Military College may refer to:
;Australia
* Royal Military College, Duntroon, Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
;Canada
* Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario
* Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Saint-Jean, Quebec
;Indi ...
's first female commandant.
* Women began to be allowed to join Saudi Arabia's military.
* In Israel, Brig-General (Reserve) Rachel Tevet-Wiesel became the first woman appointed to the role of Soldiers' Complaints Commissioner.
* Erika Raballo became the first female strike fighter pilot in the Italian Navy.
* Major-General Thalita Mxakato was appointed as Chief of Defence Intelligence in the
SANDF
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The Chief of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of ...
, making her the first woman to be appointed to the Military Command of the SANDF.
* Women in the
Ghor Province
Ghōr, also spelled Ghowr or Ghur (), is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in the western Hindu Kush in central Afghanistan, towards the northwest. The province contains eleven Districts of Afghanistan, districts, en ...
of
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
were reported to have begun taking up arms against the
Taliban
, leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders
, leader1_name = {{indented plainlist,
* Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013)
* Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016)
* Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
.
* The Indonesian army ended virginity tests on female cadets.
*
Indian Army
The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
got first batch of female soldiers.
2022
* In March, Bolor Ganbold was commissioned as Mongolia's first female brigadier general.
* It was announced in April 2022 that
Sharon Nesmith
General Dame Sharon Patricia Moffat Nesmith, ( Moffat; born June 1970) is a senior British Army officer. She has been Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff since June 2024, having served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff from August 2022 to May ...
would be the next
Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and would thus become the first woman to hold the rank of
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
in the British Army. In August 2022, she took up the role of Deputy Chief of the General Staff and was promoted to lieutenant general.
*
Antonette Wemyss-Gorman became the first female
chief of staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
of the
Jamaica Defence Force
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the combined military of Jamaica, consisting of an infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The JDF is based upon the British military model, with ...
.
* Women made up 10% of Ukrainian forces.
*
Abhilasha Barak became the Indian Army's first female combat aviator.
* Reut Rettig-Weiss became the first female Israel Defense Forces Brigade Commander in a combat unit.
* Anastasia Savitskaya is believed to have become in 2022 the first Russian female soldier killed in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
* Naama Rosen-Greenberg of the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
was appointed as the first woman to serve as the military aide to the president of Israel.
* Türkiye's Official Gazette stated that Özlem Yılmaz had been appointed as the first female general of the Turkish army.
* Addy Carter of
Hereford
Hereford ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of the ceremonial county of Herefordshire, England. It is on the banks of the River Wye and lies east of the border with Wales, north-west of Gloucester and south-west of Worcester. With ...
became the first female enlisted soldier to pass the
Parachute Regiment’s
P Company course.
* In October, Allison Ekren was sentenced in the
Eastern District of Virginia
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (in case citations, E.D. Va.) is one of two United States district courts serving the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has jurisdiction over the Northern Virginia, Hampton Roa ...
to 20 years in prison for organizing and leading an all-female military battalion in Syria on behalf of ISIS.
* Vanesa Pía became the first military woman from Argentina to command a unit in Antarctica, as commander of the permanent Antarctic Base Carlini.
2023
*
Avani Chaturvedi became the first woman fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force to take part in an aerial wargame abroad, which she did in Japan.
* The
Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
The Iranian Armed Forces, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, are the combined military forces of Iran, comprising the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (''Artesh''), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (''Sepah'') and the Poli ...
allowed women to join for the first time since the
White Revolution
The White Revolution () or the Shah and People Revolution () was a far-reaching series of reforms to aggressively modernize the Pahlavi Iran, Imperial State of Iran launched on 26 January 1963 by the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and ended with ...
.
*
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...
got the first batch of women
agniveers.
2024
*
Fatumah Ahmed became the first female commander of Kenya's air force, which also made her the first woman to lead one of Kenya's military services.
* Anamika Rajeev became the Indian Navy's first woman helicopter pilot.
* The
Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Oružane snage Bosne i Hercegovine, Оружане снаге Босне и Херцеговине or OSBiH) is the official military force of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Th ...
obtained a female military representative (Major Jasmina Omerbegovic) for the first time.
* The Republic of Fiji Military Forces Engineers Regiment 1/24 Trade Training School graduation included that school’s first female graduate.
* Sadhna Saxena Nair became the first woman appointed to the position of Director General Medical Services (Army) in India.
* Micheline Bertrand became the first female chief warrant officer (CWO) at 2 Canadian Forces Flight Training School.
* Lt. Jg. Mun Hee-woo became the South Korean Navy’s first female deep sea diver.
* On 10 August 2024, in the
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...
's training center INS Chilka, 1389
agniveers passed out after completion of basic military training, among them 214 were women; Vinay Maruti Kadam received the 'Chief of Naval Staff Rolling Trophy' and Sanjana received 'Gold Medal', Sakshi Mohan Mirje was awarded with the 'Gen Bipin Rawat Rolling Trophy'.
*
Arti Sarin was appointed
Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), the senior-most appointment of the
Armed Forces Medical Services
The Armed Force Medical Services (AFMS) is an inter-services organisation under the Ministry of Defence, covering the Indian Armed Forces. It came into existence in 1948. The current Director General Armed Forces Medical Services is Surg Vice Adm ...
, on 1 October 2024; this made her the first woman to serve as DGAFMS and the highest-ranking woman officer in the history of the
Indian Armed Forces
The Indian Armed Forces are the armed forces, military forces of the India, Republic of India. It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, and the Indian Air Force.—— Additionally, the Indian Ar ...
.
See also
*
Women in warfare and the military (1900–1945)
*
Women in warfare and the military (1945–1999)
This list is about women in warfare and the military from 1945 to 1999, worldwide.
For the United States specifically, see ''Timeline of women in warfare in the United States from 1950 to 1999''. Also see ''Women in the Vietnam War.''
...
References
Further reading
* Baaz, Maria Eriksson, and Maria Stern. "Fearless fighters and submissive wives: negotiating identity among women soldiers in the Congo (DRC)." ''Armed forces & society'' 39.4 (2013): 711–739
online
* Bumiller, Elisabeth, & Tom Shanker, (2013). "Pentagon is set to lift combat ban for women' ''New York Times'' Jan 24, 201
* Campbell, DAnn, and Karen Hagemann. "Post-1945 Western Militaries, Female Soldiers and Gay and Lesbian Rights" in ''The Oxford Handbook of Gender, War, and the Western World since 1600'' (2020).
* Carreiras, Helena. ''Gender and the military: Women in the armed forces of western democracies'' (Routledge, 2006)
online* Fitriani, R., & Matthews, R. "Women in ground close combat" ''The RUSI Journal'' (2016). , 161(1), 14–24.
* Karim, Sabrina, and Kyle Beardsley. ''Equal opportunity peacekeeping: women, peace, and security in post-conflict states'' (Oxford University Press, 2017).
* Patten, Eileen, and Kim Parker. ''Women in the US military: Growing share, distinctive profile'' (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, 2011)
online* Pawelczyk, J. "It wasn’t because a woman couldn’t do a man’s job: Uncovering gender ideologies in the context of interviews with American female and male war veterans" ''Gender and Language'' (2017) 11(1), 121–150
* Persson, Alma, and Fia Sundevall. "Conscripting women: gender, soldiering, and military service in Sweden 1965–2018." ''Women's history review'' 28.7 (2019): 1039–1056
online* Reis, João, et al. "The obstacles women face in gaining access to special operations forces." in ''Developments and Advances in Defense and Security: Proceedings of MICRADS 2019'' (Springer Singapore, 2020
online
* Reis, João, and Sofia Menezes. "Gender inequalities in the military service: a systematic literature review." ''Sexuality & Culture'' 24.3 (2020): 1004–1018
online* Stiehm, Judith, ed. ''It's our military too: women and the US Military'' (Temple University Press, 2009).
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Women In Warfare (2000-present)
*
Timelines of 21st-century military conflicts
Women in the military
Women in warfare