Australia Appoints First Female Army Chief After 125 Years

Australia has announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Susan Coyle to lead its army as the first female defence chief in its 125-year history as part of a reshuffle of the country’s force leadership.

According to Al Jazeera, the Australian government disclosed this in a statement on Monday that 55-year-old Lt. Gen. Coyle will assume the position in July, replacing the former military chief Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, who assumed the post in July 2022.

Coyle’s career spans nearly four decades, during which she has held several senior command roles, including during operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Al Jazeera reported that Coyle’s appointment comes as the Australian military seeks to boost the number of female officers in its ranks after facing a wave of allegations of systemic 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”.

Marles said, “As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see.

“Susan’s achievement will be deeply significant to women who are serving in the Australian Defence Force today and women who are thinking about serving in the Australian Defence Force in the future.”

Australia’s army is undergoing a major transformation, equipping itself with long-range firepower, drones and other modern combat tools.

Coyle stressed her experience in areas such as cyber-warfare, saying, “This breadth of experience provides a strong foundation for the responsibilities of command and the trust placed in me.”

The news outlet also revealed that women currently make up about 21 per cent of the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) and 18.5 per cent of senior leadership roles, noting that the ADF has set a target of 25 per cent of overall participation for women by 2030.

The government on Monday also appointed Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the current chief of the Navy, as the head of the ADF, succeeding Admiral David Johnston.

The current deputy chief of the Navy, Rear Admiral Matthew Buckley, will replace Hammond as head of the branch.