{"id":57388,"date":"2023-12-04T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=57388"},"modified":"2023-12-06T06:08:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T06:08:00","slug":"sky-soldier-makes-history-as-first-active-duty-female-army-sniper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=57388","title":{"rendered":"Sky Soldier makes history as first active duty female Army sniper"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n U.S. Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, poses for a photo with her family after graduating sniper school at Fort Moore, Ga., Nov. 3, 2023. With this accomplishment, Hay becomes the first active duty female U.S. Army sniper.<\/p>\n

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s contingency response force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.
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\n U.S. Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, poses for a photo after graduating sniper school at Fort Moore, Ga., Nov. 3, 2023. With this accomplishment, Hay becomes the first active duty female U.S. Army sniper.<\/p>\n

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s contingency response force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. (Courtesy photo).
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\n U.S. Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, poses for a photo after graduating sniper school at Fort Moore, Ga., Nov. 3, 2023. With this accomplishment, Hay becomes the first active duty female U.S. Army sniper.<\/p>\n

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s contingency response force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.
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Back to\u00a0U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

VICENZA, Italy \u2014 A close friend told her there was no way she could do it. She would not make it in the Army, and there was even less chance of her becoming a sniper.<\/p>\n

Four years later, she is still defying the odds.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy nickname growing up was \u2018Sniper,\u2019\u201d said U.S. Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment<\/a> (1-91 CAV), 173rd Airborne Brigade.<\/p>\n

Not only did she make it through basic training while qualifying as an expert with the M4 assault rifle, she quickly followed that up by graduating from airborne school. Now she is truly living up to her childhood nickname as the first active duty female U.S. Army sniper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up shooting, mostly rifles and handguns, on my family\u2019s ranches in Rocklin, California and Medford, Oregon,\u201d said Hay. \u201cBut the nickname came from the fact that I could find things really fast, similar to how a sniper does target detection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hay says that shooting came naturally to her, but she credits her uncle Cy with teaching her the basics. However, the inspiration to become an Army sniper came later while attending Sierra College near her hometown.<\/p>\n

\u201cA close friend of mine told me I\u2019d never make it in the Army, and there\u2019s no way I could become a sniper,\u201d Hay laughed. \u201cNeedless to say, that person is no longer part of my life. But now that I look back at it, I really do appreciate the motivation.\u201d<\/p>\n

In contrast, Hay points to her positive experience in the Army, underscored by the support she has received from leaders and peers throughout her training. From the early days of basic training, where her sharpshooting skills caught the attention of leadership, to her drill sergeant encouraging her to pursue sniper school, Hay found herself surrounded by individuals who recognized her potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though I only shot sharpshooter at first, then eventually expert later on in basic training, my drill sergeant encouraged me to pursue the goal of sniper school,\u201d said Hay.<\/p>\n

In the world of military marksmanship, individual weapons qualification is a crucial milestone. With their M4 or M16 assault rifle, Soldiers must shoot at least 23 out of 40 targets to earn the status of “marksman.” Achieving sharpshooter status requires hitting at least 30 targets, whereas experts must shoot a minimum of 36. Hay’s progression from sharpshooter to expert reflects not just her skill but also her dedication to mastering the art of marksmanship.<\/p>\n

After basic and advanced individual training as a cavalry scout, Hay\u2019s leadership at the 1-91 CAV continued to see her potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cSgt. Hay is just an incredible non-commissioned officer that comes to work every day with the intention of making not only her team better, but also the entire organization,\u201d said Hay\u2019s platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Antwon Jones, 1-91 CAV.<\/p>\n

As Jones alludes, Hay\u2019s journey to sniper school took a team effort.<\/p>\n

Jones shared that from slotting her into a sniper section to ensuring she was prepared ahead of time, multiple leaders supported Hay\u2019s decision to pursue sniper school.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne example that comes to mind is our new Behavioral Health Provider, Capt. Lee,\u201d said Jones. \u201cHe wasn\u2019t even in-processed with the unit at that point, but he made time on a Saturday to meet with Sgt. Hay for a screening needed for her submission packet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soldiers attending sniper school undergo a rigorous selection process. Typically, candidates are experienced infantrymen who have demonstrated exceptional marksmanship skills. They must meet specific physical and mental requirements, as the demanding nature of sniper operations requires a high level of fitness, discipline and concentration.<\/p>\n

In preparing for sniper school, Hay was tasked with making a ghillie suit, which is a type of camouflage clothing typically worn by snipers. Even this endeavor was a group effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took many hours, multiple people and tons of sewing to create an acceptable ghillie suit,\u201d said Hay.<\/p>\n

Once at school, the ghillie suit came in handy, as marksmanship was not the only focal point for sniper candidates during the five-week course.<\/p>\n

While emphasis is placed on developing exceptional marksmanship skills with various sniper rifles, including bolt-action and semi-automatic systems, sniper candidates are tested in the art of stalking and concealment, observation and intelligence gathering, survival skills and land navigation, as well as urban sniper operations where snipers perform their craft in densely populated areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe rapid target engagement and intelligence reporting were two of the toughest areas for me,\u201d said Hay. \u201cI also struggled with the very last test where we had to engage long distance targets while sitting on our rucksacks. That position threw off my balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hay shared that the instructors were very passionate about their craft and provided many hours of assistance to her class of sniper candidates, including guidance on the rucksack position.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told me to tighten my tripod\u2019s sling, fitting it closer to my body,\u201d said Hay. \u201cThat made all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon successful completion of the training, Hay and the other graduates received certification as U.S. Army Snipers. This qualification signifies that the soldier has met the high standards set by the school and is capable of carrying out sniper duties in a variety of operational environments.<\/p>\n

Hay\u2019s family was able to travel from California to visit her at Fort Moore<\/a> (formerly Fort Benning), Georgia, for the sniper school graduation. It was the first time they were able to see her in uniform.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to COVID travel restrictions, they weren\u2019t able to make it to my basic training or advanced individual training a few years ago,\u201d said Hay. \u201cThen, I went straight to Germany to join my unit. So it was really nice to see them and I\u2019m grateful for their support.\u201d<\/p>\n

From her childhood day\u2019s nicknamed \u201cSniper,\u201d to graduating as the first female active duty Army sniper, Hay\u2019s full-circle journey is one of commitment and determination, and she is not done yet.<\/p>\n

Her next assignment takes her to Anchorage, Alaska, with the 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Cavalry Regiment. She says becoming a jumpmaster is her next goal, and everyone keeps telling her to attend Ranger School.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt great to hear stories about paratroopers doing great things,\u201d said Jones, \u201cBut especially when it\u2019s a female defying the odds and proving women are just as capable to do anything when they have the motivation and drive to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

About 173rd Airborne Brigade<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the U.S. European Command<\/a>, U.S. Africa Command<\/a> and U.S. Central Command<\/a> areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO<\/a> allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.<\/p>\n

About SETAF-AF<\/strong><\/p>\n

SETAF-AF provides\u00a0U.S. Africa Command<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0U.S. Army Europe and Africa<\/a>\u00a0a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.<\/p>\n

Follow SETAF-AF on:<\/strong>\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0YouTube<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0DVIDS<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 U.S. Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, a cavalry scout with 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, poses for a photo with her family after graduating sniper school at Fort Moore, Ga., Nov. 3, 2023. With this accomplishment, Hay becomes the first active duty female U.S. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":57390,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=57388"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57394,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57388\/revisions\/57394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/57390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=57388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=57388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=57388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}