FEMALE NCO MAKES HISTORY

May 9th, 2013
By Marie Berberea
     FORT SILL, Okla. -- For Sgt. Pamela Stenman, becoming the first female noncommissioned officer for the 13M, Multiple Launch Rocket System Crewmember military occupational specialty, began with a pen and a T-shirt. As she was leaving her unit, her then-battalion commander gave her a simple goodbye.
"He said if you're ever at Fort Sill, look me up," said Stenman.
Stenman's original 13W MOS was being absorbed, and with the troop drawdown she was looking into reclassifying as a 13R or 13P. She came to Fort Sill for the Advanced Leaders Course, and so, she contacted her former commander for advice.
Col. Gene Meredith, 428th Field Artillery Brigade commander asked her what she thought about 13M, and everything fell into place.
"She was one of my NCOs when I was at Fort Bragg. She's an awesome NCO. I got to pin her for her combat actions in Iraq," said Meredith. "I know she's going to do an outstanding job."
Stenman is a part of history as the Army recently opened six combat MOSs to women, and now sergeants and staff sergeants are reclassifying into those positions to serve as role models to the younger female Soldiers.
"It's not going to be any more pressure than I've been putting up with all along. It's always been a little bit of a fight to just push forward," said Stenman. ... Read more