Some soldiers chase the limelight. Others just show up, do the job, and crush every standard in their path. Sgt. Maciel Hay falls firmly into the second category. She didn’t set out to be a headline or a talking point — but when the Army made her the poster child for “first active-duty female sniper,” the attention came whether she wanted it or not.
Hay, a cavalry scout with the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment (1-91 CAV), 173rd Airborne Brigade, earned her sniper tab in 2023, becoming the first active-duty woman to graduate the Army’s sniper course. Before her, only one female National Guard soldier had done it. She’s quick to point out she wasn’t chasing history — she was chasing a challenge.
“I didn’t think or want it to blow up all over the internet,” Hay wrote in a rare public response. “In fact, I asked them not to publish anything because to me, it feels contrary to women being equal in the military if every time a woman does something new it is emphasized. Regardless, something was published.”
From “Sniper” as a Nickname to the Real Thing
Hay grew up on her family’s ranches in Rocklin, California, and Medford, Oregon, shooting rifles and handguns with her uncle. Her friends nicknamed her “Sniper” — not just for her aim, but for her knack for spotting things quickly.
A friend once told her she’d never make it in the Army, and becoming a sniper was impossible. Four years later, she’s still proving that friend wrong. After enlisting as a cavalry scout, she qualified expert with the M4, earned her wings at airborne school, and caught the attention of her drill sergeants, who pushed her toward sniper school.
Earning the Tab the Hard Way
Sniper school is no cakewalk. Candidates are tested on far more than shooting — there’s stalking, concealment, intelligence gathering, survival, and urban sniper operations. Hay built her own ghillie suit with help from her team and fought through some of the course’s toughest drills, including long-range engagements from awkward positions.
“No, the standards were not lowered. Yes, I carried all of my own shit,” she wrote, addressing critics head-on. “Women have been snipers all throughout history. I just happen to be the first in the AD Army. Frankly, I’m surprised it took this long.”
Not Here to Be Small
Hay makes it clear she earned her spot and will keep earning it every day — just like any sniper worth their salt. Her advice for women in male-dominated fields is blunt:
“It’s not impossible with the right mindset. However, you have to earn it, and keep earning it every day… You can’t afford to have an off day. Someone is always watching you. Ignore it, and do your job.”
For now, Hay is still serving as an NCO in a sniper section, currently stationed in Hawaii. She’s got no social media gimmicks, no side hustle — just a reputation as a hard-charging Soldier who delivers.
As her former platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Antwon Jones, put it:
“It’s great to hear stories about paratroopers doing great things, but especially when it’s a female defying the odds and proving women are just as capable to do anything when they have the motivation and drive to win.”
Hay’s next goals? Becoming a jumpmaster and maybe Ranger School. Whether or not the Army blasts it across the internet again, you can bet she’ll be too busy crushing the standard to care.
© 2025 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without written consent is strictly prohibited.
