Women Officers in the Afghan Army

DVIDS is reporting on a new officer candidate school for Afghani women:

KABUL, Afghanistan – Much like the United States in the mid-20th Century, Afghanistan is experiencing changes in the rights afforded to women. Afghan women can now hold jobs previously unavailable to them, such as serving in a position of authority as an officer in the Afghan National Army.

A group of eight U.S. Army women mentors and 29 Afghan female officer candidates are ushering in that change.

In a joint effort between NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan and the Afghan Ministry of Defense, the ANA Female Officers Candidate School opened its doors in April. Over the past 20 weeks, 29 Afghan women – mostly housewives – have made history. The first class of female officers will graduate Sept. 23 with the candidates serving as finance and logistics officers.