A soldier made history by becoming the first active duty female to pass the Army’s sniper school and qualify for service in the elite role.
U.S. Army Sgt. Maciel Hay, who serves as a cavalry scout with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, passed the Army’s sniper course last month at Fort Moore, Georgia, according to a brigade release. Her accomplishment marked the first time an active duty female had passed the rigorous course, coming after a National Guardsman from Montana became the first woman overall to earn the elite qualification.
“My nickname growing up was ‘Sniper,'” Hay said, according to the release.
Her desire to live out that nickname led her to the Army, where she made it through basic training while qualifying as an expert on the M4 rifle. She then passed through the Army’s Airborne School, serving with the 173rd before finally getting her opportunity to attend sniper school.
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“I grew up shooting, mostly rifles and handguns, on my family’s ranches in Rocklin, California, and Medford, Oregon,” Hay said. “But the nickname came from the fact that I could find things really fast, similar to how a sniper does target detection.”
Given the rigors of Army training and especially its sniper course, Hay recalled that some had doubts about her dream along the way, which she used as motivation.
“A close friend of mine told me I’d never make it in the Army, and there’s no way I could become a sniper,” Hay said. “Needless 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.”
But the road wasn’t always easy. Hay noted the amount of practice it took to qualify as an expert on her M4. Nevertheless, leaders recognized Hay’s potential early on and helped her reach her goal of becoming a sniper.
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“Sgt. Hay is just an incredible…
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