AMC Hall of Fame induction highlights career of 'firsts'

By Kari Hawkins, AMCFebruary 26, 2020

Gen. Ann Dunwoody's DA photo
Gen. Ann Dunwoody's Army career appears to be one of "firsts" -- first woman in U.S. history to hold the rank of a four-star general and first female commander of the Army Materiel Command, among others -- that secure her place in the nation's history. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- On the surface, Gen. Ann Dunwoody's Army career appears to be one of "firsts" -- first woman in U.S. history to hold the rank of a four-star general and first female commander of the Army Materiel Command, among others -- that secure her place in the nation's history.

But, a second look shows those firsts are deeply rooted in her family's tradition of service. Her great-grandfather was a veteran of the Spanish-American war, and a Signal Corps officer. Dunwoody's own father, Brig. Gen. Harold Dunwoody, was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

"I grew up in the Army and came from a family who, since 1862, has defended our nation," Dunwoody said. "My great grandfather, my grandfather, my father, my brother, my sister, my niece, and my husband are all veterans of this country's wars. My father is a veteran of three wars. He was a real Soldier's Soldier, and much of who I am is founded on what I learned from my dad, as a Soldier, as a patriot and as a father."

The historical significances of Dunwoody's career will be further solidified March 10 when she is one of five 2019 inductees into the Army Materiel Command Hall of Fame, at AMC Headquarters, Redstone Arsenal.

Dunwoody's Army career began with her commission in 1975 as a Quartermaster second lieutenant in the Women's Army Corps. Among her notable firsts, Dunwoody was the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 1992, and became the first female general officer at Fort Bragg in 2000. She was the first woman to command the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Lee, Virginia, in 2004. Her career included serving overseas during Operation Desert Shield/Storm and, as the commanding general of the 1st Corps Support Command, overseeing logistical support for the initial phases of Operation Enduring Freedom, a critical component of the early stages of combat operations in Afghanistan. As the commanding general of the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Dunwoody oversaw the largest deployment and redeployment of U.S. forces since World War II. As a three-star general officer, Dunwoody was the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 (Logistics).

With her promotion to four stars, Dunwoody took command of AMC in 2008, leading the largest global logistics command in Army history, which at time had 69,000 employees worldwide and an annual budget of $60 billion with oversight of about $70 billion in service contracts; and overseeing the organization's move to Redstone Arsenal, considered AMC's first permanent headquarters.

Although her 38-year career is impressive by any account, at her retirement ceremony in 2012, Dunwoody downplayed her role as a leader in women's rights.

"I have never considered myself anything but a Soldier. I recognize that with this selection (as a four-star general officer), some will view me as a trailblazer, but it's important that we remember the generations of women, whose dedication, commitment and quality of service helped open the doors of opportunity for us today," she said.

She also gave credit to the male officers who coached and mentored her throughout her career, saying they are "leaders who opened the doors for me, leaders who looked beyond gender, leaders who could see something in folks that didn't look like they do."

The Army, she said, "is a profession and an institution that has been a part of me since the day I was born. From the very first day that I put my uniform on, I knew there is nothing I would have rather done with my life. It is a calling to be a Soldier, and there is a great sense of pride and camaraderie in serving the greatest Army in the world."