Australia appoints woman to lead its army for the first time

Australia on Monday said a woman would lead its army for the first time in history, as part of a reshuffle of the country’s defence force leadership. Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief ‌of joint capabilities, will become chief of army in July, the government said in a statement. She will replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart. Coyle’s appointment comes as Australia’s military seeks to boost the number of female officers in its ranks. It faces a wave of allegations of systematic sexual harassment and discrimination.