Australia on Monday said a woman would lead its army for the first time in history, as part of a reshuffle of the country’s defence force leadership.
Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief of joint capabilities, will become chief of army in July, the government said in a statement. She will 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.
“From July, we will have the first ever female chief of army in the Australian Army’s 125-year history,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. Defence Minister Richard Marles called Coyle’s appointment a “deeply historic moment.” “As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see,” he said.