[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 19690]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO SPECIALIST SKYLAR ANDERSON

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, last week, a distinct honor was bestowed 
upon Vermont Army National Guard Specialist Skylar Anderson and, by 
extension, the Vermont National Guard. I want to recognize this 
milestone.
  After graduating from a rigorous program at the 164th Regimental 
Training Institute in North Dakota, Specialist Anderson became the 
first female soldier in the country to be awarded a military occupation 
specialty as a combat engineer. In this position, she will enrich the 
capabilities of our Guard, bringing new skills and expertise to her 
work. While this is an impressive honor on its own, she did this while 
managing a full workload. While serving in the Vermont National Guard, 
she is a student at the University of Vermont. Specialist Anderson has 
clearly earned this recognition through her hard work and dedication.
  Opportunities to serve in our military, whether soldier or sailor, 
airman, or marine, should be available to the best and brightest, 
regardless of gender, and Specialist Anderson has shown young women 
around the country that gender integration in the military is very 
real. Just last week, the Secretary of Defense declared all positions 
in the U.S. armed services open to females, removing artificial 
restrictions so that the United States can have the very best serving, 
like Specialist Anderson.
  As a Vermonter, I am especially proud of her achievements, and I am 
also appreciative of the members of the Vermont National Guard who 
supported her throughout the process.
  I ask unanimous consent that an article about Specialist Skylar 
Anderson published by National Guard Online be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                    [From the National Guard Online,
                             Nov. 27, 2015]

    Vermont Guard Member Becomes USA's First Female Combat Engineer

       Colchester, VT.--Spc. Skylar Anderson, a member of the 
     Vermont Army National Guard, became the first female Soldier 
     in the nation to be awarded the 12B Military Occupation 
     Specialty (MOS) code as a combat engineer.
       Anderson was previously a Multiple Launch Rocket System 
     Operations/Fire Direction Specialist (13P) prior to re-
     classing to a combat engineer.
       She graduated Aug. 31 from the 164th Regimental Training 
     Institute (RTI) in Devils Lake, North Dakota.
       Goarmy.com says that combat engineers primarily supervise, 
     serve or assist as a member of a team when they are tackling 
     rough terrain in combat situations. They provide their 
     expertise in areas such as mobility, counter-mobility, 
     survivability and general engineering. They construct 
     fighting positions, fixed/floating bridges, obstacles and 
     defensive positions, place and detonate explosives, conduct 
     operations that include route clearance of obstacles and 
     rivers, prepare and install firing systems for demolition and 
     explosives, and detect mines visually or with mine detectors.
       ``I knew that I would be one of the first females to go, 
     but not the first to graduate,'' Anderson said. ``I knew that 
     the MOS had just opened up a few months ago and having 
     previously been field artillery, I wanted to do it.''
       Originally enlisting in the New Hampshire National Guard, 
     Anderson interstate transferred to the Vermont Army National 
     Guard (VTARNG) in February of 2014, while pursuing a degree 
     at the University of Vermont. Currently a junior, she is 
     studying Animal Science, Equine Studies, in the pre-
     Veterinary program.
       ``I was floating around for a bit in Vermont,'' Anderson 
     said in reference to how she became interested in becoming a 
     12B. Since the VTARNG didn't have 13Ps, Anderson briefly 
     thought about joining the military police or working in 
     supply. It wasn't until annual training this summer that she 
     found out that the 12B MOS had opened up to women and decided 
     that's what she wanted to do.
       ``Vermont is incredibly proud of Spc. Anderson and her 
     accomplishments and achievements,'' said Maj. Gen. Steven A. 
     Cray, the adjutant general, Vermont National Guard. ``This is 
     an important milestone not only for Spc. Anderson, but for 
     all women in the integration of females into combat roles.''
       According to the 164th Regiment RTIs website, the 12B10 
     Combat Engineer MOS-T course provides reclassification 
     training for military personnel with prior military 
     experience, so that they may obtain the skills necessary to 
     perform as a Combat Engineer.
       There, Soldiers are provided technical training in basic 
     demolitions, wire obstacles, explosive hazards, fixed 
     bridging and urban operations.
       ``Spc. Anderson displayed tremendous personal courage in 
     seeking out MOS reclassification to a specialty previously 
     closed to women,'' said Capt. Eugene Enriquez, Commander, 
     Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 86th Brigade Special 
     Troop Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team 
     (Mountain).
       ``The training at the school was awesome,'' Anderson said. 
     ``By the third day we were out in the field and at the range, 
     using TNT, dynamite and det cord, blowing stuff up! This 
     class was really hands on and that's what I loved about it.''

                          ____________________