Faithful SOFREP reader Lightning Six reported this to us earlier today. He was hoping to use this in our No Shit There I Was series, but we’ll post it here instead:

Apologies in advance that this is not a real “there I was” tale. But there I was this morning sipping my coffee and reading China’s Global Times newspaper when I came across a small tidbit of info for the ongoing debate about women in combat…

Apparently there is a unit of female commandos in the Chinese army and they jump from planes.

Here’s the official Xinhua news agency (via Global Times):

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http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/781517.shtml#.UZLQ8qJHKSo

China’s 1st female commandos conduct parachuting drill

A 15-member squad of female commandos successfully completed a parachuting drill in north China on Tuesday, according to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The drill was the first to be conducted by the PLA Field Army, following drills conducted by the “Aug. 1 Aerobatic Team” and the Parachute Corps of the PLA Air Force.

A special female commando company was established on March 30 by a brigade with the 38th Group Army under the PLA’s Beijing Military Area Command.

The commandos are physically qualified and highly skilled, according to Yang Hongkai, head of the company.
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A quick search online found more on the subject. Here are official photos that show the female commandos training (which includes jumping into the sand, doing motorcycles stunts and arm wrestling).

(Editor’s note: And here’s a VERY disturbing look at the last 12 hours before a female prisoner is executed, as detailed by GlobalTimes.cn. Smiles all around. Just chilling.)