Band of Sisters: West Point alumni watch Ranger grads open doors for female soldiers

Earlier this week, I had the honor and privilege of attending the graduation of US Army Ranger Class 8-15. Since its inception as the one of the Army most challenging small unit leadership development course, 77,000 men have earned the Ranger Tab. Less than 3% of Army Soldiers graduate from Ranger School. Class 8-15 include Lt. Shaye Haver and Capt. Kris Griest, both West Point graduates, and the first women to graduate from the Army’s storied course.

It is challenging to capture what this day means in a few words as two women pin on this badge of physical strength, mental toughness, survival and perseverance. I asked a few people to describe the significance of the day: grateful, hopeful, humble, game-changing, forward, historic, epic and the best–beginning (credit to MG Scott Miller ’83). In his front page article in the Ledger-Enquirer, Chuck Williams captures eloquently and simply why more than 75 West Point Women travelled to Ft. Benning, GA from across the country and globe to witness history.

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