Oregon National Guard Welcomes First Female Infantry Soldier

By Damien Weaver, Veterans News Magazine

Staff Sgt. Lindsey Cook has become the first female in the Oregon Army National Guard to qualify as an 11B infantry soldier. Cook completed the 11B Infantry MOS-Transition Course on March 17, 2017, at the 249th Regional Training Institute (RTI) in Umatilla.

Preceded in August 2016 by two female soldiers of the Washington National Guard, Cook is now the third woman to ever complete the intense two-week Umatilla training course.

Camp Umatilla is one of only seven infantry training battalions in the nation and the only certified Army infantry training academy west of the Mississippi River. Soldiers, like Cook, wanting to change their military occupational specialty (MOS) go there to gain knowledge in fields such as land navigation, infantry tactics, troop leadership, patrolling and urban operations. During the training, Cook recalled that she ran numerous battle drills and led her squad on flanking maneuvers during live-fire exercises.

Despite being a relative newcomer in the traditionally all-male infantry training environment, Cook said gender-based tension was not an issue for her and her fellow trainees.

Staff Sgt. Lindsey Cook of the Oregon National Guard received her blue infantry rope at a graduation ceremony from the 11B Infantry MOS-Transition Course in Umatilla on March 17, 2017.

Photo courtesy of the Oregon Military Department

“We were all there to learn and the instructors were very supportive,” she said. “It was a group effort. I was with them every step of the way, carrying machine guns on 12-mile marches.”

Yet, the significance of her accomplishment was not lost on her, and Cook acknowledged the added pressure of her symbolic role as one of the first female infantry soldiers.

The integration of women into combat roles is a recent development. The process started in 2013, but it wasn't until March of last year that the military officially opened all combat jobs to female soldiers.

Cook didn’t mince words when asked about any lingering opposition that may still exist regarding women in combat roles.

“I am a very determined person, and when people tell me I can’t do something that’s when I tell them to get out of my way,” she said.

Cook’s accomplishment has not gone unnoticed by her superiors at the Oregon National Guard.

“We are all very proud to have a trailblazer like Staff Sgt. Cook,” said Maj. Stephen Bomar, director of public affairs for the Oregon Military Department. “She is doing the Oregon Guard and our nation proud. We look forward to putting her to work.”

Cook is an active, full-time Guard member (AGR), currently working in an administrative role. She will move into an infantry unit under the Battle Buddy System as soon as another female solider passes the 11B Infantry course.