This Female Soldier Just Demolished The Army’s Sniper Gender Barrier
She's been working toward this accomplishment most of her life.
U.S. Army
Although men still outnumber women across the branches of the U.S. armed forces, a growing number of women are proving that they’re just as capable of meeting the high standards of military service.
One recent example is Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, a non-commissioned officer who recently became the first active-duty soldier to pass the grueling five-week sniper course.
A lifelong destiny
As Hay explained, much of her life has been leading up to this moment.
“My nickname growing up was ‘Sniper,’” she said.
As a young person on her family’s property in California and Oregon, Hay received ample firearms training and frequently fired rifles and handguns under appropriate supervision. But aside from being a good shot, she noted that her sobriquet stemmed from a particular skill that served her well in sniper school.
“The nickname came from the fact that I could find things really fast, similar to how a sniper does target detection,” Hay said.
Despite her obvious talent, the soldier said that she encountered plenty of naysayers along the way — including a now-former close friend who said she wouldn’t succeed.
“Needless to say, that person is no longer part of my life,” she quipped. “But now that I look back at it, I really do appreciate the motivation.”
The latest step
Although Hay is the first active-duty female to accomplish this feat, she’s not the first woman to become a military sniper. More than two years ago, a soldier in the Montana National Guard completed the Army’s sniper course at two separate bases.
About two decades before that, a female member of the Air National Guard graduated from that branch’s Counter Sniper School.
But Hay isn’t done yet. She’s currently on course to become a jumpmaster and might even attend Ranger school in the future.
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