Green Beret history within reach: First woman set to pass famous Q Course

A source with knowledge of the U.S. Army’s Qualification Course for Green Beret says a woman in the National Guard is on the cusp of making history.

Army Special Operations Command told the New York Times this week that it will not comment at this time on reports of a woman whose military occupational specialty (MOS) is primed to become 18C — Special Forces engineer sergeant.

Past female candidates have made it to the Special Forces selection course without completing the famous Q Course. 

The newspaper also reported in 1981 on the case of Capt. Kathleen Wilder; a sexual discrimination complaint concluded that she was wrongly denied graduation, Army Times reported Wednesday. 

Lt. Col. Loren Bymer told the New York Times on Tuesday that it would be imprudent to comment on the matter until the soldier has officially completed the tasks at hand.

“It’s not a topic that we’re willing to discuss at this point,” the officer said.

Army Times noted that recent changes to the Q Course came with critics who claimed they were made with gender-based social engineering in mind. 

“Maj. Gen. Patrick B. Roberson, commander of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, took control of the program this summer, relieving Maj. Gen. Kurt Sonntag,” Army Times reported.

“Sonntag’s tenure and the changes he started to bring to the course were criticized in an anonymous 2017 email from one Green Beret instructor as a way to boost graduation rates and ensure that women can pass.”