LCpl Grace Cussons, 28, is the first Army Reserve woman to successfully complete the demanding Pre-Parachute Selection course
Grace received her maroon beret at a parade at ITC Catterick and will transfer into A (1st City of London) Battery, Honourable Artillery Company while she balances her Army Reserve service with a civilian corporate career
Pre-Parachute selection is renowned for being one of the most challenging courses in the Army, with only the most elite soldiers passing through.
Lance Corporal Grace Cussons has become the first female Army Reservist to successfully complete the demanding Pre-Parachute Selection course.
Grace, who serves with the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), received her maroon beret at a parade at ITC Catterick and will now transfer into A (1st City of London) Battery, HAC, under the tactical control of 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery.
It was her second attempt at the course, which includes speed and endurance marches, aerial confidence, high-intensity obstacle runs, team heavy load events, and one-minute continuous boxing, with training staff praising her marked improvement and strong performance throughout.
Her success was inspired by close friend and fellow soldier, Captain Elizabeth Godwin, of the Life Guards, who was herself going through the selection process and suggested Grace attempt the course too in their final chat before her tragic passing.
Lizzie was a massive champion for women achieving their potential. After she passed away, I felt like I should do it in honour of her.
Grace, 28, said: “One of my best friends sadly passed away last year in a car accident. She was in the Household Cavalry.
“Lizzie was a massive champion for women achieving their potential. She always said the biggest barrier to women succeeding is them telling themselves they can’t do it. She was attempting selection at the time.
“The last conversation we had, I said I’d always been interested in going for P Company and she said I should just do it. After she passed away, I felt like I should do it in honour of her.”
Lizzie was also a trailblazer as the first female officer in the Army's most senior regiment.
Lance Corporal Grace Cussons, 28, Detachment Second in Command, 3 Squadron Honourable Artillery Company, pictured at Finsbury Barracks.
Incredibly, Grace began her successful attempt to pass P Company on the first anniversary of Lizzie’s passing.
To achieve that dream though, the former pupil of Oundle School, Northamptonshire, had to show real resilience and determination as she fell short first time.
I really hate losing. I knew I would kick myself if I didn’t try again.
“I was completely unprepared for quite how challenging it is,” she said. “I just didn’t have the base level of physical strength to do everything in the space of a week. Not being strong enough physically led to me not being robust enough mentally.
“I went back because I really hate losing. You get two attempts at P Company, and I knew I would kick myself more if I didn’t try again than if I tried and failed for the second time.”
Grace put in a lot of extra strength training to give herself the best possible chance of completing the course.
She said: “I had the cardiovascular fitness, I’m a good, fast runner. I did a triathlon last year and did well, but I needed to get stronger, so I got an ex-military coach who created a programme for me with more heavy lifting.”
On how it felt to put on the famous airborne forces maroon beret for the first time, she said: “I don’t think it has sunk in. It’s been a year I’ve been training for this.
I stand on the shoulders of some awesome men and women.
“It feels completely surreal. It’s such a privilege to serve with 16 Air Assault Brigade. I feel really lucky and thankful to everyone who’s helped me get through it.
“To be the first, I feel like the Emiline Pankhurst of the Reservists. There were generations of women that tried to get women the vote but don’t get the recognition that she did.
“There have been so many women that have attempted such incredible feats in the military context, both sporting and arduous course, who don’t get that recognition because they didn’t quite get past the final milestone. I stand on the shoulders of some awesome men and women.”
She has just left a senior role in commercial strategy management to lead the UK sales division of London-based electric toothbrush brand SURI.
Balancing such a gruelling training schedule and service with a demanding job has been challenging.
Women can do anything if they put their minds to it.
“I’ve found my military training has helped in my civilian role in terms of how to get the best out of people when you’re in a high-stakes environment.
“The training has been incredibly challenging. I work in the corporate world, so my hours are quite long. Waking up early or staying up late to try to fit in two hours plus of training a day around work.
“My employer was incredibly understanding of me wanting to do this, albeit they had no idea what I was putting myself through. They really tried to facilitate giving me the time to go to the gym at lunch if I needed to and leave early on a Friday for the weekend which I was really grateful for.”
To women considering following her path, she says: “I would say just because you don’t see someone who looks or sounds like you in the airborne community.
“Women can do anything if they put their minds to it. With all of those doing amazing things in the Army, all roles are open to them. Just give it a go!”
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