First female Army reservist graduates infantry officer training

A second lieutenant who serves as a scout platoon leader in her Hawaii-based Army Reserve unit is the first female Army reservist to begin her career as an infantry officer.

Second Lt. Anna Zaccaria graduated from the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course on Dec. 16, according to an Army statement.

Zaccaria is assigned to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.

“She is exactly the type of officer this Nation’s Army craves – competent, courageous, and dedicated to being the best,” said Brig. Gen. Mark W. Siekman, Commanding General, 9th Mission Support Command.

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In her civilian job, Zaccaria serves as a human capital consultant at Deloitte and lives in Virginia.

“I wanted something that’s just totally different from the things I do in my civilian career and the infantry was going to be the biggest challenge and I knew that was something I wanted out of my experience in the Army,” Zaccaria said about her choice of infantry as a career path.

The lieutenant not only graduated but also earned a spot on the Commandant’s List and won the Ironman Award, according to the statement. Only the top 20% of the infantry course graduates make the list.

The Ironman award is earned by the officer with the highest combined score on physical fitness events or specific company competitions, according to the statement.

The 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment is the most decorated unit in American history and the sole infantry battalion in the Army Reserve. Zaccaria is scheduled to begin pre-ranger training in January, with the intent of completing Army Ranger School.