Print History, Saudi Arabia Approves The First Forces Of The Women's Army

Saudi Arabian armed forces female soldiers. (Twitter/@modgovksa)

JAKARTA - Saudi Arabia's first batch of female soldiers graduated from the Armed Forces Women's Cadre Training Center on Wednesday, after completing 14 weeks of basic training that began on May 30.

Major General Adel Al-Balawi, head of the Armed Forces Education and Training Agency in his speech said this educational center has an important mission, which focuses on providing excellent training programs and curricula and an ideal learning environment. .

"This is in line with international quality standards that meet the needs of (women recruits). It aims to improve overall performance, which will help achieve the ministry's goals in the future," he explained, citing Arab News Sept. 2.

The inauguration of the first batch of women is a new milestone for Saudi Arabia, which began opening military recruitment to women in February this year. This is in line with the Ministry of Defense's decision to allow women to join Saudi Arabia's armed forces.

Military ranks from soldier to sergeant will be available to female soldiers in the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air Defense, Royal Saudi Navy, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Forces and Armed Forces Medical Services.

Saudi Arabian armed forces female soldiers. (Twitter/@modgovksa)

All applicants must pass admission procedures according to the specified conditions, have a clean record and be medically fit to serve. Meanwhile, for prospective female soldiers of Saudi Arabia, there are several additional requirements. nita.

Female applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 40, be 155 cm or taller, and must not be a government employee. Female applicants must also have an independent national identity card and have at least a high school education. Applicants who are married to non-Saudi nationals will not be accepted.

Operations systems specialist Halah Al-Ynabawi said Arab countries allowing women to serve in the military had been a controversial topic for the past 30 years.

"But today, with King Salman's vision, he has played a big role by involving women in all fields, government and now the military," he told Arab News.

“In my personal opinion, it is very important for women to be in the military, where they can have an active role in our conservative society,” Rahma Al-Khayri, an information technology specialist, shares a different point of view.

"Throughout history, we have never heard of a woman coming into the field and fighting. We always hear about women healing people, or maybe monitoring supplies in the administration and in the control unit. The man is the one who fights on the field."

#فيديو_الدفاعرئيس الأركان العامة الدفعة الأولى #الكادر_النسائي للقوات المسلحة. pic.twitter.com/ZJGzdknJEB

— ارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) September 1, 2021