Lance Corporal Grace Cussons has become the first female reservist to successfully complete the British Army’s demanding P Company course, a rigorous test of physical endurance and mental resilience required for entry into the Parachute Regiment. At 28 years old, Cussons passed the airborne forces’ pre-parachute selection (AAPPS) after her second attempt, joining 22 other soldiers who cleared the course out of 87 candidates.
The P Company assessment includes a ten-mile march carrying 16 kilograms within a two-hour time limit, as well as challenging log and stretcher races and an aerial confidence course. The selection process is designed to evaluate fitness, determination, discipline, and the ability to operate effectively under stress, ensuring candidates are prepared for service in airborne units.
Cussons, who serves with 3 Squadron of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) and balances her military commitments with a civilian career, described completing the course as life-changing. She currently works in the commercial sector and is set to begin a new role leading UK sales for the electric toothbrush brand Suri. Despite her demanding civilian career, she trained up to eight times a week—sometimes twice a day—to meet the course’s physical standards.
Her journey to passing the course was not without setbacks. Cussons did not succeed on her first attempt earlier this year, falling short during the ten-mile march. Reflecting on that experience, she cited a lack of fitness and confidence as key factors in her initial failure. For her second attempt, she sought professional support and incorporated more focused training. Cussons also shared that she began the second attempt on the anniversary of the death of her close friend and fellow officer, Captain Lizzie Godwin of the Household Cavalry, who died in a car accident last year. Godwin, the first female officer in The Life Guards, had encouraged Cussons to continue pursuing her goals.
Following her success in the selection process, Cussons was awarded the iconic maroon beret and will transfer to A (1st City of London) Battery, HAC (Tactical Control 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery). Her next step is to complete the basic parachute course, which will earn her the parachutist “wings” and mark her as a trained military parachutist.
Cussons has served as a reservist for six years and highlighted the importance of readiness for conflict throughout her service. She stated that completing the P Company course has enhanced her capability to contribute effectively should the need arise.
The British Army has noted progress in female representation, with women now serving at every rank within its 18-rank structure for the first time. However, there remain no female service chiefs and no woman has yet held the position of chief of the defence staff. Cussons’s achievement marks a significant milestone in the ongoing integration of women into demanding combat roles within the armed forces.