Australia yesterday said that a woman would lead its army for the first time in history, as part of a reshuffle of the nation’s defense force leadership.
Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief of joint capabilities, is to become chief of army in July, the government said in a statement. She is to replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.
Coyle’s appointment comes as Australia’s military seeks to boost the number of female officers in its ranks. It faces a wave of allegations of systematic sexual harassment and discrimination.
Photo: AFP / Australian Defence Force
“From July, we will have the first ever female chief of army in the Australian Army’s 125-year history,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.
Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles called Coyle’s appointment a “deeply historic moment.”
“As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see,” Marles said. “Susan’s achievement will be deeply significant to women who are serving in the Australian Defence Force [ADF] today and women who are thinking about serving in the Australian Defence Force in the future.”
Coyle, 55, enlisted in the military in 1987 and has held a number of senior command roles. She is to be the first woman to lead any service branch of the military, Marles said.
Women currently make up about 21 percent of the ADF and 18.5 percent of senior leadership roles. The ADF has set a target of 25 percent of overall participation for women by 2030.
A class action lawsuit was filed on October last year against the ADF, alleging it failed to protect thousands of female officers from systematic sexual assault, harassment and discrimination.
The government yesterday also appointed Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the current chief of the navy, as the head of the ADF, succeeding Admiral David Johnston.
Deputy chief of navy, Rear Admiral Matthew Buckley, is to replace Hammond as head of the branch.
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