A HIGHLY-rated general could become the first female head of the Army.
Lt Gen Sharon Nesmith, 53, has been invited to apply for the Chief of the General Staff role by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
She joined in 1991 and was commissioned into the Royal Signals, serving in the Balkans and Iraq before taking charge of Army recruitment.
The mum of two is already the Army’s most senior woman and first to reach the rank of General Officer Commanding.
She is one of four in the running to replace General Sir Patrick Sanders, who is expected to stand down next year.
Lt Gen Ralph Wooddisse, Lt Gen Nick Borton and Lt Gen Roly Walker are also hoping to land the top job.
However, an Army source said: “Sharon is a really strong candidate.”
Wooddisse and Walker are seen as the favourites, defence insiders said.
Nesmith made headlines in 2015 as the first woman to command and operational brigade.
She led Army recruitment from 2019 and was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff last year.
The Army rejected “hair-brained plans” to let Royal Marines apply for the post.
Royal Maine Generals Gwyn Jenkins, a former commander of the Special Boat Service, and Charlie Stickland, were tipped as candidates for the post
The Army said: “We are unable to comment on speculation surrounding the next Chief of the General Staff.”
