Infantry commander excited to see women serving on front line
2 Rifles Commanding Officer Sam Cates said he would welcome his daughters serving.
The commander of a battalion in the largest infantry regiment in the British Army said he would welcome his daughters serving on the front line.
Last October, the Army announced it was changing its long-held rule that only men could serve in frontline combat roles.
Commanding Officer of Co Antrim-based 2 Rifles Sam Cates likened the change to the Army finally allowing openly gay men and women to serve in 2000.
Lt Col Cates said he is excited to see women on the front line, and when asked how he would react to any of his three daughters serving, he said he would be absolutely thrilled.
“In my first 10 months in the Army, the statement was issued saying it was OK to be gay in the army. Nothing changed, some came out, some didn’t,” he said.
“So far we have only selected 50% of the population, so why wouldn’t you open yourself up to 100%.
“I am really up for it, really excited. I hope it will be during my command tour.”
“We need to be a 21st century Army. This is the right thing to do,” he said.
“I am the father of three little girls, if they wanted to join the Rifles, I would be absolutely thrilled. I really would.”
2 Rifles, who are based at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn, Co Antrim, are spending seven weeks in Kenya close to the Equator, taking part in challenging exercises in extreme conditions, including temperatures up to 40 degrees and basic living conditions.
They spent the first two weeks training in Laikipia Province before moving to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Simba, close to Archers Post from where they spent nights in the African bush under the stars.
One of these was a night-long advance supported by the Kenya Defence Forces to find the “enemy” acted by the Queen’s Dragoons Guards defending a remote FOB.
He said he has been staggered by how well his men have coped with the challenging conditions.
“Every single time I have been to see them training, I have just been amazed at how professional they are, how much enthusiasm they have for the job and how proud they are making me.”
