For the first time in its history, the British Army has a servicewoman serving at each of its 18 ranks, from recruit through to four-star general.
The milestone was marked at a gathering at Army Headquarters in Hampshire, where 18 servicewomen representing each rank attended a breakfast ahead of International Women’s Day. The event was joined by General Dame Sharon Nesmith, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, and General Sir Roly Walker, Chief of the General Staff.
General Walker described the moment as a significant step for the Army and for the women who have served within it across generations. “I am immensely proud that, for the first time in our history, the British Army now has a woman serving at every rank,” he said. “This is a significant milestone – achieved without fanfare, but with profound significance – and one that would not have been possible without the quiet professionalism, determination and commitment to service shown by generations of women.”
He added that the development reflected the growing contribution of women across the force. “This achievement is not symbolic; it is operational. It strengthens our fighting power and makes the Army more capable, agile, and representative of the society we defend.”
Brigadier Melissa Emmett, Head of Army Personnel Services Group, also highlighted the broader significance of the moment. “This is not important because it is the first time this has happened in the Army, but it is one of the first times that this happened in the world,” she said. “It’s not just a happy accident of one unique brilliant woman making it through, but lots of women being successful and almost normalising our success.”
Among those present was recruit Megan Stewart, currently training in Winchester, who attended to represent the next generation of servicewomen. “This is amazing and it is really cool that there is a woman in every rank,” she said. “The future looks so exciting.”
That clearly is going to impress Russia…
Wow someone’s a bit of a POS. (Then again have you ever posted anything righteous and hopeful on here?)
Good news story. Well done the ladies.
They aren’t going to shag you Dern.
Luke, feel free to harbour fantasies about Ray all day. But, personally, I have standards and their not my type.
There were women who served in SOE in ww2, including one who was tortured by the Gestapo until the Gestapo gave up as they saw the she would not talk.
Oddette Churchill i think her name was.
Others wouldn’t talk and were thrown alive in the ovens.
You’ve had women serving in 14 Int Company, more commonly called The Det.
You have women now in the SRR.
You have women who piloted Concorde, go into space as astronauts.
In WW2, Russian women fought alongside men in some areas, including as snipers at Stalingrad.
Apart from the obvious physical limitations, women can do what men can in almost all areas.
One of your F15s blown out the sky was piloted by a woman.
Russia can go and be impressed or not, but I get the the impression that actually the issue is you?
Very Well Said. Any guy pretending women are weak should read story of Lucie aubrac: saved her husband from gestapo. Twice.
One might genuinely say that as this is about female rank achievement, and concerning Russia we should be concentrating on sheer firepower and kit to kill the enemy. As people say, Russia respects strength, like all bullies.
But that’s not the underlying message I got. Sexism is just something that really pisses me off, my dear old Dad had the chained to the kitchen sink mentality and it’s just not on.
Also, I mean, the Soviets had a History of women in combat roles.
And I believe in the IDF as well?
Yes, and contrary to what some on this thread claim, seem to aquit themselves fairly well. And I suspect a lot of IDF soldiers have more campagin medals than a lot of commentators in this place.
And you clearly miss the point.
It’s not meant to impress Russia.
It’s meant to show that women can rise high in the Army, that there are women senior officers, and that women can do any role in the Army.
End result being potentially attracting more women who might think that they couldn’t get ahead in the Army. Seeing as the forces are struggling to hit recruitment targets, any positive news that could attract new applicants is a good thing.
Even if there given a leg up, the highest ranked woman in the British army general nesmith for example is a general with only 3 campaign medals how is that even possible, I’m of the view as long as they get promoted by there ability and not some DEI reason I see no problem with it
Just doing a bit of Google-fu. Gwyn Jenkins was SB so has a bit more of a rack, but if I look at Tim Frasier, who held the role of Vice CDS before General’s Jenkins and Nesmith only had 2 Campaign medals (I think Northern Ireland and Yugoslavia).
VCDS Campaign Medals in the last 20 years:
General Nesmith: 3
General Gwyn Jenkins: 4
Admiral Tim Fraiser: 2
General Gordon Messenger: 4
Air Chief Marshall Stuart Peach: 2
General Nick Houghton: 3
General Timothy Granville-Chapman: 1
Air Chief Marshall Anthony Bagnall: 0
Seems pretty down the middle or even on the slightly higher end of campaign medals to me.
Yeah. Because the demographic profile of applicants is what matters … isn’t it.
Did you even read my post before making your comment?
No, demographic doesn’t matter. As I said, what does is showing the forces are open to anyone and that anyone can do well and rise high – increasing appeal to more people who might have not previously considered joining, potentially boosting recruitment overall.
A fantastic story and milestone but i wonder what Private/Lance Jack put their hand up for this day of cringey ‘fun’ with senior leadership? Personally i can’t imagine a worse punishment as an OR :-). Must have got with them with the old ‘volunteers for a motorbike licence’ scam.
I get the feeling that the HMF gives women preferential treatment. Call me what you will, but having watched a multitude of the basic training documentaries over the last few years I am still not convinced women as a whole are a good fit for combat roles. Some totally are, but as a demographic? Not so much.
Spartan, I think you should only post a critical comment if you have a bit more info than having watched a few documentaries. The armed forces have done extensive serious studies on the wider role of women. Very few women actually sign up for the Infantry anyway, so I understand.
Not necessarily. I see the same kind of women in those documentaries that I served alongside with. Their demeanor and performance doesn’t seem to have changed much that I can see. Could I be wrong? Sure. But as they say, seeing is in the believing.
You know there being fast tracked, for example general nesmith the highest ranked woman in the army has 3 campaign medals how is that possible when your a general I was a private and I have 3 and after watching that tv program that followed infantry training that had a few women go through it , it was embarrassing I’m not knocking the individual lady’s but there ability to move from A to B with a Bergen on was seriously lacking and one “passed” on the very last seconds on the stop watch I say passed as I don’t believe she did if I’m honest I think they just passed her and these were the minimum standards, how would these lady’s be able to pull a fully equipped bloke out of a burning vehicle ? we all want to believe we are all equal but we are not and I think it will cost lives in the future, somebody on here also said well the IDF use woman in the infantry yes they do but they had to lower the fitness standards 3 times to make it work and apparently the women have something like a 70% higher medical discharge rate than men,a usmc officer was asked about this and he said the only changes you need to do in the military is,u ask one question and that is ,does this change make us more lethal yes or no if it’s yes then do it if not you don’t
As I said above, there didn’t seem to be an issue with Tim Fraiser having only two campaign medals. Do you think he was fast tracked? There’s a lot of this “I choose to believe that the standard isn’t being met” or applying one standard (campaign medals) to women but not to men, when, I don’t believe that Campaign medals.
As for fitness, I’ve met women who absoutely can pull a bloke with all his kit out of a vehicle, and I’ve met blokes who can’t. Have I met more women that can’t do it? Sure. But that doesn’t mean they should be banned just because the averages sit at different places. And that final thought, all well and good but lethality is not a simple measure.
Here we go u know women who are super hero levels of strength rubbish no you don’t at all u just think u do women are not stronger than men and as to your Tim fraiser if he was fast tracked then I don’t agree with that either but I don’t know who that person is but he not the highest ranking man in the British army I don’t think anyway and if u don’t think combat experience is important then that’s up to u I think it is
Here we go, having to create a strawman.
Tim Fraiser was Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, same job that General Nesmith Holds at present.
Omg I’ve just looked up your example he’s navy lol he’s not army
Held the same job, when you get to full General most posts are Tri-Service. But I did post the number of campaign gongs that every Vice CDS held in the last 20 years, but you know, apparently preconcieved notions and strawmanning is more important than facts to you.
There are plenty of women in the AFU doing a fine job.
Plenty of men whom, likewise, aren’t cut out for combat roles, too.
What a pointless statement
Compared to the utter rubbish you wrote you mean?
I think we’re wasting our breath here, Tim seems like the kind of man who can’t deal with women being given opportunities, and holds his feelings above facts.
This is a public contrast to Hegseth’s empty, lawless philosophy that is being implanted in USA forces.
A thing to celebrate.
OK. And?.
Good to see, if there by just merit then even better,