CAMP JOHNSON, Vermont –
Pfc. Noelle Cave is the first woman to enlist into the cavalry in Vermont since the duty position became available to women Aug. 9, 2016.
Cave enlisted as a 19D, cavalry scout, on Jan. 3, 2020.
“This is a great news for our cavalry squadron and the entire Vermont Army National Guard,” said Brig Gen. Richard Lebel, land component commander, Vermont Army National Guard. “Women in direct combat roles are an integral part of the success of our formations, and having our first enlistment into the combat arms will hopefully open the door for other women like Pfc. Cave.”
Combat military occupational specialties, specifically infantry and armor/cavalry scouts, were closed to women across the Army National Guard until Aug. 9, 2016. The first integration implementation plan required a minimum of two female leaders in the same career field in the same company before a new junior enlisted female could enlist. A leader is defined as an NCO or officer. This concept is referred to as the Leaders First requirement.
Females commissioning as infantry or armor/cavalry officers can directly enter into combat units upon their commission. Soldiers that enlisted into other MOS’s may transfer into a combat unit so long as they pass the prerequisite training.
The gender implementation was updated on Jan. 29, 2019, making the requirement one female in the same career track and one female leader of a different career track that has been in the unit for at least 30 days.
The Vermont Army National Guard currently has units in the infantry and cavalry that meet the prerequisite to allow females to join. Sgt. Gloria Kamencik became the first Vermont Soldier to serve in a combat position as a 19D cavalry scout in 2017.
Pfc. Cave will serve with A Troop, 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry (MTN), located in Newport, Vermont. An interview with Pfc. Cave can be found on our Facebook page at .