UK Army Captain Becomes First Woman to Pass Gruelling Para Test

Several women have attempted to pass the test since they were first eligible to apply in 1990.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@AwardsVeterans)

The British Army's Captain Rosie Wild became the first woman to pass the country's gruelling Parachute Regiment entry test – one that many men fail, BBC reported on Tuesday, 18 February.

Several women have attempted to pass the test since they became eligible to apply in 1990, but the 28-year-old Captain Wilde became the first to clear it.

The test reportedly spans across five days and includes a 20-mile endurance march and aerial assault course, the BBC report said. Along with this, she had to carry 60 kg telegraph pole over 3 km in group of eight, complete a 3.2 km run with backpack and rifle in 18 minutes.

She also had to march 32 km, with her backpack and rifle, within four hours and 10 minutes and participate in 'Miling' – a boxing contest.

A competitive triathlete, Capt Wild joined the Army three years ago. At the time of joining in 2017, she was presented the Royal Military Academy honour, given to the best candidate during the intake.

Wild's Indian Counterpart

In June 2019, Indian Army Captain Kalpana Kundu earned praise for undertaking a high-altitude patrol in the Himalayas to provide medical cover for the personnel deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LoAC).

Kundu is a part of Army Medical Corps, which is a specialist wing of the Indian Army that primarily provides medical services to all personnel – both serving and veterans.

The Eastern Command of the Indian Army had then taken to Twitter to shower praises on her:

Following Kundu’s patrol, the Indian Army in a statement, praised her stating that she volunteered for the important patrol.

“In this rare feat she volunteered and accompanied an important patrol in an inhospitable terrain to provide medical cover to her brethren deployed along the Line of Actual Control. This was in the true tradition of Indian Army where officers lead from the front,” the Indian Army said in a statement.

(With inputs from BBC)