Army ad drive for front-line women
A recruitment drive is being launched to attract women to join the ranks of tough front-line units such as the Gurkhas and Paras.
The campaign comes after ministers changed rules to let female soldiers serve in “close ground combat” roles from 2018.
The switch ends the all-male tradition of elite formations such as the Guards, Rif les and Royal Marines.
A small number of female soldiers have already been caught up in combat.
But the new advertising drive will profile women as leaders and highly capable infantry soldiers making life- or-death decisions.
It follows the success of Our Girl, the hit BBC drama starring Corrie’s Michelle Keegan as Lance Corporal Georgie Lane.
The ads will highlight chances for women to serve in roles such as paratroopers, snipers or tank drivers.
Commanders across the UK have been busy prepa r ing to accept women with separate accommodat ion and instructors.
Mi l itary pundit Mike Peters said: “Joining the infantry is not for everyone but there will be those who rise to the challenge.”
In Afghanistan, two female medics won the Military Cross, with one claiming to be the f irst woman to kill a Taliban fighter.
The Marines have already said any female rookies will have to share rooms with male counterparts in training “to maintain team cohesion”.