Naomi Connnelly’s story of paving the way for women serving as the first woman in Field Artillery as a Fire Finder Radar Operator and Maintainer in not only the Army National Guard, but the Army. Field Artillery is part of combat arms and didn’t open to women until 2015. But before 2015 there were some jobs that started to open un within combat arms. She was able to serve in one these roles in the Field Artillery in 2012. She is still serving in the Army National Guard in New Hampshire. In this episode she shares her experience in the Army National Guard and some insight along the way.
First woman in Field Artillery
Naomi knew she was going to join the military. Her dad and grandfather served. Her mom was a military child. She just knew that was what she was going to do. She was planning to join the Navy and serve on submarines and then learned that it wasn’t open to women. So she joined the Army National Guard, picking the Signal corps as her career since she knew there was a spot for her at her local National Guard.
Upon completion of AIT she headed off to Iraq and learned her job hands on and got to experience a culture new and different. It was 2003 and the U.S. had invaded Iraq while she was at training. And they were relying on the National Guard to meet the mission in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
She learned about the career field of Field Artlierty while working as an instructor for the signal career field. The career fields overlapped at the school house and it sounded interesting. She was unable to get certified even after completing the course. But then in 2012 an opportunity came up in New Hampshire in one of the newly opened careers for women in Field Artillery. She applied and was selected.
She was the first and had to break barriers and sometimes face challenging circumstances. but in the last 12 years she has seen so many women follow in her footsteps and change the future for women in the Army. Hear her inspiring story this week on the Women of the Military Podcast.
Actually this isn’t completely true. Women were allowed into the Field Artillery back in late 1970s and into the 80s. We were assigned to missile units, Lance and Pershing. But the policy was “no combat roles.” But not sure how you can say “no combat” when serving in a short range missile battalion. By the late 80s, they began to phase women out since the only career path was 0-5 command at Ft. Sill in training units.
Two women servied in the 74th Field Artillary Detachment (Pershing) from 1973 to 1974, when the Pentagon found out and we were transfered to ordenance. And I am proud to still have my Field Artillary brass.