Third woman steps closer to finishing the Army's demanding Ranger School

Jim Michaels | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A female soldier has passed the challenging mountain phase of Ranger School, bringing her a step closer to completing the course, the Army announced Friday.

If she makes it through the next stage, which involves training in Florida swamps, she would become the third woman to complete the grueling 62-day course. The mountain phase of training is conducted in Dahlonega, Ga.

The first two women to complete Ranger School graduated earlier this month. Students conduct miles of patrols and endure intense physical training while operating with little food or sleep.

The Army opened Ranger School, among its most physically demanding courses, to women for the first time this year. Standards for the course remained the same.

Women were allowed to volunteer for the course as part of an assessment to determine how to open all jobs, including the infantry and special operations, to female servicemembers.

The Pentagon has ordered that the services present a plan by the end of this year for opening so-called ground combat jobs to women.