White House Nominates First Female for Fourth Star

By Elizabeth M. LorgeMarch 3, 2015

White House Nominates First Female for Fourth Star
From left: Gen. Benjamin S. Griffin, Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey J. Mellinger salute as the national anthem is played by the AMC band during Dunwoody's welcome ceremony as the AMC deputy commanding general on June 17 at AMC... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 23, 2008) President George W. Bush has nominated the new deputy commanding general of Army Materiel Command, or AMC, for the rank of four-star general and the top slot at AMC.

If her nomination is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Lt. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, who became AMC's 43rd DCG on June 17, will become the first woman in U.S. military history to gain a fourth star.

"Lt. Gen. Dunwoody's leadership, character and career have best prepared her to lead the Army Materiel Command," said Secretary of the Army Pete Geren. "She will bring 33 years of experience to over 56 thousand Soldiers, DA Civilians, and their Families in 40 states and 50 countries as she serves as the next commanding general of Army Materiel Command."

"This is an important day for the Dunwoody family, the military and the Nation," added Gen. George W. Casey, chief of staff of the Army. "Lt. Gen. Dunwoody's nomination not only underscores her significant contributions and success throughout 33 years of service, but also shows the level of possible opportunity in our Army's diverse, quality all-volunteer force. Our Nation will continue to benefit from Lt. Gen. Dunwoody's leadership as the Army continues to build strength from our diversity."

Firsts are nothing new to Dunwoody, who is AMC's first female deputy. She was also the first woman to hold her last job as the deputy chief of staff of the Army for G-4 (Logistics), and to command the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command and Fort Lee, Virginia. As the G-4, she was responsible for ensuring that warfighters had the necessary supplies and services, and that logisticians had the tools and equipment necessary to deliver those supplies and services to Soldiers around the globe.

As the commander of the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., from 2002-2004, Dunwoody supported the largest deployment and redeployment of U.S. forces since World War II.

She has also commanded the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; the 10th Mountain Division Support Command, Fort Drum, New York; and the 1st Corps Support Command at Fort Bragg. In this capacity, she deployed the Log Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and stood up the Joint Logistics Command in Uzbekistan in support of Combined Joint Task Force-180.

Dunwoody also deployed during the first Gulf War with the 82nd as the Division Parachute Officer from September 1990 to March 1991.

She received a direct commission as a second lieutenant after graduating from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1975. She has graduate degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management. Her family has a long tradition of military service, including her great grandfather, grandfather, father, brother, sister, niece and husband.

"I am very honored but also very humbled today with this announcement," said Dunwoody. "I grew up in a family that didn't know what glass ceilings were. This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career ... that the doors continue to open for men and women in uniform. My focus right now is to be the best deputy I can be."

Dunwoody would take over as AMC's commanding general from Gen. Benjamin S. Griffin, who has served in the position since 2004.

As commanding general, she would oversee AMC headquarters move to Huntsville, Alabama, from Fort Belvoir, Virginia; under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act. Advance teams have already arrived in Huntsville, and the process is expected to be complete in September 2011.

The Army's first female general officers were promoted, June 11, 1970, when Secretary of the Army Stanley Resor promoted both Col. Anna Mae Hays, chief of the Army Nurse Corps, and Col. Elizabeth P. Hoisington, director of the Women's Army Corps, to brigadier general.

Today, fifty-seven active-duty women and 47 female reservists wear stars on their shoulders in the armed forces. Moreover, roughly 194,000 women make up 14 percent of all active duty forces. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 193,400 women have deployed in support of U.S. operations.

(Editor's Note: An Army press release and reports from John J. Kruzel, of the American Forces Press Service, and Melissa Bohan, from the AMC Office of Public and Congressional Affairs, contributed to this report.)

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Women in the U.S. Army