Four-star general lights up North Country morning

By Ms Jennifer M Caprioli (Drum)March 29, 2012

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1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division (LI) senior leaders brief Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command, during her visit to the North Country Thursday morning. Dunwoody led the unit previously known as the Division Support Comma... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division (LI) senior leaders brief Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command, during her visit to the North Country Thursday morning. Dunwoody led the unit previously known as the Division Support Comma... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody, commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command, talks with Col. Christopher Latchford, 10th Sustainment Brigade rear detachment commander, at the 10th Sustainment Brigade motor pool during her visit to Fort Drum on Thursday. In additio... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- A former brigade commander, turned four-star general, lit up the North Country with her expertise and recollection of fond Fort Drum memories during a visit here Thursday.

Although she grew up as an Army "brat," Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody's first visit to Fort Drum was when she received orders to lead the former Division Support Command, from 1996 to 1998. Dunwoody currently serves as commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command.

"It was the fastest two years," Dunwoody said of her time spent here. "It's so good to be back."

Dunwoody's last visit here was during the fall of 2009, when she attended a 10th Sustainment Brigade welcome home ceremony.

"I love coming up here to the 10th Mountain (Division). It's refreshing to see such sunshine out here, and no snow -- matter of fact, I'm shocked," she said of the atypical North Country weather.

During her visit, Dunwoody stopped by the 10th Sustainment motor pool to speak with Soldiers and civilians.

She recognized two civilians with Commander's Awards for Civilian Service and presented commander's coin awards to Soldiers and units. Then she was briefed by division leaders about brigade issues.

"Today was an opportunity to hear straight from the warfighters -- those (who) have just redeployed and those (who) are getting to deploy -- how well the support is going and what we can do to help them," she explained.

Dunwoody talked about the importance of brigade alignment, and she said she hoped to share with other installations some of Fort Drum's best business practices, such as the close way that division, garrison and tenant organizations work together.

"What I remember about this community was how much (they) supported the division," she said, noting such programs as Adopt a Unit. "(The community) took care of deployed men and women."

Dunwoody said that her time stationed at Fort Drum during the '90s was an "extremely exciting time" for her.

She referenced the legendary ice storm that occurred during 1998, noting she learned a lot from responding to the natural disaster.

"The North Country was shut down," she recalled.

During that response time, she realized how important sustainment is -- not just for the warfighter -- but for the community.

"Farms were shut down; it looked like the 'Twilight Zone' with all the ice and broken telephone poles," she noted. "Logisticians in the (Division Support Command) had to get our teams out amongst the communities to take care of and account for people."

Dunwoody recently moved with AMC to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. The day after she arrived in the South, tornadoes ripped through the area.

"It was like ('The Wizard of Oz'). Again, (I saw) devastation across the community," she said.

What she saw was the same community camaraderie in Alabama that had occurred in the North Country 14 years earlier.

"It's a wonderful thing that the military does with communities, to help those in need. Both of those events (were) significant -- and tragic," she said.

"There's such a sense of family that extends not only within the installation, but within the community. I have only very fond memories of my time here, in spite of the ice storm," she said. "That's one of those functions that makes you stronger -- and it did. It made our command stronger."

Dunwoody said she is thankful of her time spent here because she had the "opportunity to serve with so many great Americans," and she still serves with most of them.

"There's a special connection with the folks (who) wear that patch," she said, referencing the 10th Mountain Division (LI) insignia.

She fondly referred to the connection as the "Climb to Glory spirit."

"There are a lot of folks (who) are still here when I was here, and it's always great to see them continue to make a difference and see the new folks that have joined the team," she said.

In November 2008 Dunwoody became the first -- and only -- woman in U.S. history to achieve the rank of four-star general. At that time, she also assumed command of AMC.

She graduated from State University of New York at Cortland in 1975, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant quartermaster officer. She has graduate degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management.

Her duty assignments have taken her around the world. She has served at Fort Sill, Okla.; Fort Lee, Va.; Germany; Alexandria, Va.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Washington, D.C.; Fort Drum; Fort Belvoir, Va.; and in Saudi Arabia during Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm.