A Kazakh girl born in 1991 became the first female chief officer of a tank company in NW China’s Xinjiang

A Kazakh girl born in 1991 became the first female chief officer of a tank company in NW China’s Xinjiang

Mahepali, a Kazakh girl born in 1991, is much more beyond a pretty face in her hometown of northwest China’s Xinjiang. 

She is the instructor of the second tank company in the Xinjiang Military Command, first of its kind in a military command. She is also the first female driver of an armored vehicle in an entire division.

Surprisingly, Mahepali was not born a fit fighter as she is now. She once suffered from sepsis when she was a child and did many rehabilitation treatments. When she was 8 years old, the disease finally cured. 

Although this unusual experience made her endure unimaginable hardships during her early childhood, it also allowed the seeds of tenacity to take root in her heart.

After graduating from Southwest Minzu University, she chose to join the army and returned to her hometown of Xinjiang, and joined the armored force later.

She recommended herself as an instructor in the tank company, but was not favored by the male soldiers at the beginning. So the young lady began to equip herself with professional skills in theory and in practice and finally won her seat and became the first female tank driver in the division.  

Starting 2020, the local regiment officially formed a women's tank combat team, and Mahepali became the person in charge. She trained the whole team hard the way she had trained herself and all efforts paid out. The team achieved excellent results in the live-drill assessment.

"Many people think that girls are not suitable as the leader of the tank detachment. To break this concept, you must make extraordinary efforts and prove it to everyone with actions. So, no matter what others say, I must always keep fighting on!" Mahepali said. (By Dai Xiaoyu)