Before moving to Wagga and joining the army, Maddison Dutton said it had been a struggle to make ends meet.
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The 19-year-old joins a rising number of female recruits, shooting for military roles that were once only available to men.
A visiting army general on Friday said it was the first-class facilities at Kapooka – Home of the Soldier – and first-class staff that contributed to the “fantastic” increase.
It comes as the training brigade’s army pre-conditioning program (APCP) celebrates two years of success, helping marginalised recruits achieve the physical standards required to commence the 80-day recruit training course.
Recruit Dutton said the APCP had given her the confidence boost she needed to pursue her dream career.
“I was studying and working in a supermarket,” Recruit Dutton said. “It was pretty crappy.”
Joining the army was something she always wanted to do but the physical requirements stood in her way.
“This is giving girls a foot in the door and a foot up in the process,” Recruit Dutton said. “I would not have been as motivated without it.”
She said not once had she felt the existence of a glass ceiling and to anyone considering a career with the army she said: “Don’t let gender put you down. Be confident in yourself”.
It was a sentiment echoed by brigadier Susan Coyle.
When the one-star general joined the army, she was one of very few women. But that was 30 years ago.
She said the service had come a long way since then.
Brigadier Coyle said more than 13.7 per cent of soldiers were women, which was up from about 5 per cent when she joined.
As the first female to command a regular army brigade in Australian history, the mother-of-three said there was no hurdle too high.
“There is no glass ceiling,” Brigadier Coyle said. “I would argue there never has been a glass ceiling.”
She said the skills and the confidence the army gave couldn’t be read in a book or bought off a shelf.
“You have to experience it,” Brigadier Coyle said. “Even on your worst day, you’re still an Australian soldier.”
Brigadier Coyle officially welcomed the 38 graduate soldiers of 14 platoon, from Bravo company, to the Royal Australian Army at their march out parade.
She commended the recruits for their dedication and commitment, their families’ love and support and the dedication of staff in producing “fine quality soldiers”.
Brigadier Coyle said the best thing about serving in the military was the people and the mate-ship, that they would discover across their careers.
Loved ones cheered the graduates on as they marched on the sacred parade ground, where many have come before them
“You owe a debt to our past … (men and women) who carved a reputation you now inherit,” Brigadier Coyle said. “Never let them down.”