Career Outlook

JOB HORIZON

VOW TO HIRE HEROES ACT: ENDING VETERAN UNEMPLOYMENT

Approximately 160,000 active duty service members and 110,000 National Guardsmen and reservists transition to civilian life each year. But for too long, veterans were patted on the back for their service and then pushed out into the job market alone.

In 2010, a Department of Labor report found nearly 1 million unemployed veterans in the United States. The average unemployment rate among returning veterans was 11.5 percent―one in 10 couldn’t find a job to support their family, didn’t have an income that provided stability or work that provided them with the pride that is so critical to their transition home.

The following spring, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) traveled throughout Washington state to talk to veterans, employers and experts about the barriers veterans face in finding employment. In May 2011, Murray, chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, introduced the basis of a comprehensive bill to put America’s veterans back to work. The legislation was designed to provide job skills training as veterans left the military and by easing the training and certification process veterans face. The bill came on the eve of Veterans Day 2011 at a time when nearly 1 million American veterans were unemployed.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act combined provisions of Senator Murray’s original Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, Chairman Jeff Miller’s Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, with a tax credit for employers that hire veterans and job training assistance for veterans from earlier eras.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act made the Improving the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) mandatory for most service members transitioning to civilian status, upgraded career counseling options, and resume writing skills, as well as ensured the program is tailored for the 21st century job market. The bill allowed service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a seamless transition from the military to jobs at Veteran Affairs, Homeland Security, or other federal agencies.

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act also provided nearly 100,000 unemployed veterans of past eras and wars with up to one year of additional Montgomery GI Bill benefits to qualify for jobs in high-demand sectors, from trucking to technology. Disabled veterans got up to 1-year of additional Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits.

The bill required the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector and work to make it easier to get the licenses and certification our veterans need. Tax incentives of up to $5,600 were provided for hiring veterans, if the veteran has been looking for work for six months or longer and up to $9,600 for hiring disabled veterans.

This fall, a story in the Washington Post which appeared on Veterans Day showed that although the jobless rate for all U.S. veterans was just 6.9 percent in October—slightly lower than it is for the population as a whole—the unemployment rate for veterans who have served since 9/11 stood at 10 percent, with 246,000 out of work.

“That’s the same rate as it was a year ago, and it’s a higher jobless rate than it is for non-veterans, after adjusting for age and demographic factors. That is, even when you factor in the dismal U.S. economy, recent veterans are still having trouble finding work,” the Post’s Brad Plummer wrote.

A February 2013 report prepared by the National Economic Council and the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, with assistance from the defense, treasury, health and human services, and labor departments, Veterans Affairs, transportation, the Domestic Policy Council, National Security Staff, and the Office of the First Lady, discussed the challenges that confront service members, military spouses and veterans in establishing their qualifications for civilian employment.

Frequent moves combined with different requirements for occupational licenses across state lines can make it difficult and costly for spouses of active duty military to find a job, the report said. Adding that despite having valuable experience, veterans frequently find it difficult to obtain private sector recognition of their military training, experiences, and skill sets through civilian certification and licensure. This also makes it difficult for the private sector to capitalize on the resources and time spent training and educating service members.

RECRUITING TRENDS

BENEFITS OF HIRING US WAR VETERANS

Many U. S. military members have gone off to war and come home to try to find normalcy again in their lives. Part of that is trying to re-enter the civilian life they once led. It is tougher and tougher for those veterans to find work, though. It is understandable that employers would be leery of hiring recent war veterans. There are many issues those of us who have never faced war in person could possibly understand. But the reality is that our war veterans need to work and they need to learn how to transition back into civilian life. We owe it to them to give them the opportunity to do just that.

ADVANTAGES TO EMPLOYERS OF HIRING WAR VETERANS:

1. Discipline

Veterans have had to learn to be disciplined in everything they do. They have learned how to be patient and to obey orders. Although we don’t call it obeying orders in the civilian workforce, it amounts to the same thing. The employer is the company officer and the employee is the soldier. The employer tells the employee what to do (the order) and the employee, ideally, will follow that instruction. Civilians often have their own idea of how to handle the “orders.” Soldiers already know how important it is to follow through on whatever they are told to do, even when they don’t understand why.

2. Hard Workers

There are no workers who will work as hard as someone who has been to war. They have done the dirtiest work and dealt with the most stress any human being could be asked to endure. They stand strong in the face of adversity and with death all around them. It is safe to say that they are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

3. Training

U.S. military service members have a lot of training in many different areas. You will be surprised how much a military member knows and how that training can be put to use in your company. There are drawbacks to having someone who has been to war working in a company because of the posttraumatic effects, but there are more advantages to hiring them. Find out what types of training the war veteran has before you decide that he or she won’t be a good candidate based on the fact that he or she may have been in a war zone. You will be shocked what knowledge you find in people who have been in the military forces.

4. Longevity

People who have been in the military have learned to stick things out no matter what happens. They have the ability to stay with things even when others would have walked away. This is proven by the fact that they stayed in a war zone where no one really wants to be. They have seen things that no person should ever have to see and they stuck it out because that is how they are trained to do. If the veteran could stick it out in a war zone, they will certainly be able to stick it out in a company when things get rough.

These are just some of the reasons that employers should consider hiring a war veteran in the United States. War veterans certainly have circumstances that can cause some issues. That is to be expected. I would urge you to consider what they have given to the country though. They put their lives on the line for all of us. They saw things that most of us would have run from. There are challenges that have to be overcome, but helping a veteran re-enter civilian life can be one of the most important things that you will ever do. It gives them a chance and they certainly deserve that. If you are one of the companies that have decided not to hire war veterans because of the possible issues, change your thinking. There are a great many benefits to hiring a war veteran as well.

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion work into the night constructing an observation post along Route Cowboys, Helmand province, Afghanistan. Second CEB’s mission included the construction of three observation posts on Route Cowboys.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR VETERANS SEEKING JOBS

Joining Forces, spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, is designed to gather the public together in a collective effort to lend support to military families.

One of the key missions of Joining Forces is to focus on job availability for soldiers coming home from active duty, and the spouses of those vets, who might also need new jobs due to transfers.

If you, or someone you know, is a veteran looking for work, here are six online employment sites that can be helpful:

1. Military.com

This site offers a career section with the “largest veteran job board in the world.” Here individuals can search for jobs, create and post resumes, network with other veterans and find career fairs to attend in their own locales.

2. VetJobs

This is considered one of the leading boards for veterans. It is sponsored exclusively by Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Registration is free and veterans can do a search for current job openings and also post a resume.

3. America’s Veteran

This is the official website of the U.S. government. It is operated by the Office of Personnel Management to assist veterans who might be looking for jobs within the federal government.

4. G.I. Jobs

This site provides career advice and tips on how to find a job in the civilian workforce. They issue a newsletter and also have pages on Facebook and Twitter.

5. National Veteran’s Foundation

The National Veteran’s Foundation (NVF) serves the crisis management, information and referral needs of U.S. veterans and their families. The foundation has both a legal center and an employment center with job listings. This site operates the nation’s only free helpline for all veterans and their families. There is also a live chat forum available. One section is dedicated solely to new veterans. There is a downloadable booklet to help veterans navigate the complexities of dealing with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

6. MilitaryHire.com

A site developed and maintained by a team of military veterans

First lady Michelle Obama announces new hiring commitments by the private sector as well as major accomplishments of the Joining Forces initiative during remarks at Naval Station Mayport. Obama and Dr. Jill Biden created Joining Forces to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and take action to support veterans and military families as they serve our country and throughout their lives.

and corporate hiring authorities. Its purpose is to “serve those who served.” Veterans can sign up for free, search the job database, post resumes and apply for jobs online. The homepage lists upcoming job fairs.

These six online resources combined give veterans access to potential solutions to every conceivable job issue they might encounter in their post-military career journey.

If you would like more information on how you can become involved in the “Joining Forces” initiative visit the website here http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces

Opportunities with Shell

If you are you looking for an organization that allows you to translate your skills into a civilian career, or a challenge that will launch your career into a relevant mission area, then consider Shell. According to their website, Shell offers a variety of operators, technician, and maintenance positions in plants, refineries and field operations onshore and in the Gulf of Mexico. Whether you’re a student Veteran or Officer studying for a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D., the oil giant offers a chance to help solve some of the world’s biggest energy challenges while pursuing your passion and fulfilling your potential. Shell Military Recruiters regularly attend military recruitment events and career conferences. Shell is a “100,000 Jobs Mission” company, committed to hiring veterans and sharing best practices. The 100,000 Jobs Mission has now doubled its commitment. In total, the companies plan to hire a total of 200,000 by 2020. http://www.shell. us/aboutshell/careers-tpkg/military-veterans.html

WHO’S HIRING VETERANS?

The Stars and Stripes BEYA Veteran Transition Initiative is devoted to promoting and supporting our men and women in and out of uniform. It features seminars and a career fair that helps veterans transition into education, jobs and business. As part of the Career Fair held Friday, February 7, 2014 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Hotel, panelists discussed top programs that offer opportunities for veterans, and General Motors, JPMorgan Chase and AT&T were recognized for their veteran initiatives. Below is a complete list of organizations that were hiring at the job fair.

EMPLOYERS AT THE 2014 STARS AND STRIPES BEYA STEM VETERAN TRANSITION INITIATIVE

The Aerospace Corporation BAE Systems Boeing Central Intelligence Agency General Dynamics General Motors

George Washington University Huntington Ingalls Industries Lockheed Martin

MITRE

Navy Civilian Careers Noblis

Northrop Grumman PNC Bank Raytheon USAA

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army U.S. Coast Guard

World Wide Technology, Inc.

Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FOUR’s Detail Four, all female build team; BU3 Kadisha Lee, BU3 Gafayat Moradeyo, BU3 Jessica Vera , CECN Carla Diaz-Castillo, BUCN Shayla Miles, BU3 Amber Mann, SWCN Kacie Dunlavey, and BUCN Shelby Lutrey. NMCB FOUR is a component of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command that provides contingency engineering and construction across Afghanistan in support of the overall mission of International Security Assistance Forces and regional commander requirements.

Military families pick up backpacks full of school supplies at five regional distribution events held August in Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia. Nationwide, the Back-to-School brigade program distributed $4.9 million in school supplies, including 41,000 backpacks. Locally, the D.C. Metro Field office gave 4,200 backpacks to military children in Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia.

OPERATION HOMEFRONT

SOMETIMES ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK

Since its creation in 2002, Operation Homefront has met over 741,000 needs of military families and military personnel returning from duty. Operation Homefront provides emergency financial assistance. They also help with healthcare services, home repair and home items, moving and relocation as well as auto repair. In addition, the organization runs community events and programs such as the Back-to-School Brigade, Hearts of Valor and Homefront Celebrations. The scenarios below illustrate just a few of the many services offered by Operation Homefront D.C. Metro, which serves Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia.

Army Specialist Brandon Boyd is the father of four. Wounded in combat in Iraq, he suffered multiple injuries, most significantly breaking his back. After recovery, Boyd was found medically unfit to serve, so he retired from the military and applied for veteran benefits in 2011. As he transitioned to civilian life, he also began searching for a job. In the meantime, the young family scraped by.

Bills began piling up as Boyd waited for a job offer and for the VA benefits check to arrive in the mail. Baby supplies and groceries were soon in short supply. That’s when the family reached out to Operation Homefront. They’d found out about them through the military family network. The D.C. Metro chapter helped pay an outstanding utility bill to keep the lights on and heat running, and provided grocery gift cards to buy food and baby supplies. The husband and wife also got a new mattress from a donation the chapter received from a local Ashley Furniture home store. And when Boyd’s job offer finally came, the chapter provided donated suits for him to use as he returned to the workforce. Boyd started his new job early this year and the VA benefits began arriving in March.

But just as things seemed to be falling into place, the family car broke down. In desperation, the Boyds reached out again to Operation Homefront (OH) DC Metro. At the time, the family was no longer eligible for financial assistance since they had begun receiving VA benefits. Although OH could not help, they connected the family with a local mechanic at Fries Automotive in Manassas, Va., who offered to discuss a possible discount with management. OH later learned from the Boyds that the shop offered to donate the labor and went even further to discuss a discount on the cost of the parts with the supplier. It didn’t end there. Curry’s Auto Parts Supply of Manassas also stepped up and agreed to donate the needed parts at no cost. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

Army Staff Sgt. Alejandro Jauregui, wounded April 8, 2012 and recovering from a double amputation, yearned for his family to join him at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Prior to the family’s arrival, it was discovered Walter Reed’s family quarters did not have enough beds to accommodate both children. In response to a request from the soldier’s unit, OH D.C. Metro Chapter reached out to donors and companies to find a bunk bed. After many calls, Value City Furniture of New Carrollton, Md., offered the perfect set at a 50 percent discount. Coordination between OH and the Battle Company at Walter Reed ensured the bunk beds were set up in their room before the boys arrived.

In October, a mother attended the Star Spangled Babies baby shower sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton. Below is a thank you note:

I hope this email finds you doing well. I wanted to send my personal thanks for such a lovely and heart felt event that you all hosted. I attended the Star Spangled Babies baby shower on the 15th and I must say that I was touched greatly by the generosity that you all extended. The opportunity provided to meet local moms-to-be, make new friends, the amazing gifts and to have an overall great morning of being pampered, relaxing and having a wonderful time meant more than words could begin to express. I did not get the names of all of the vendors but I would like to also extend my gratitude to Booz Allen Hamilton, the many volunteers, and all of the other booths that were there and sponsored the event as well. It was truly a first-class experience and something that I will remember for a lifetime. Words can’t fully express how appreciative or thankful I am. Take care and have a wonderful day.

Nearly 150 military spouses were honored at an appreciation dinner headlined by Dr. Tyrone Taborn, Career Communications Group’s publisher and CEO, and hosted by BlackBerry and Operation Homefront. Each military spouse received gift bags including a new BlackBerry phone.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

A SUMMARY OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BENEFITS

Various benefits are available from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans and their spouses and children. These include compensation and pensions, survivor benefits, education, vocational rehabilitation, home loans, and life insurance.

1. Compensation and pensions

Disability compensation is paid to veterans who suffer from injuries or diseases incurred during their time on active duty, or were made worse because of military service. Additional payments may be made to a veteran who has a spouse or children, or who has a very severe disability, or who has a disabled spouse. The benefits are not taxed.

A Veterans Affairs pension may be paid to veterans aged 65 years and over. A person under 65 may qualify if he or she is totally and permanently disabled. An income test applies. Disabled veterans may also receive an aid and attendance benefit if the veteran needs the assistance of another person with their day-to-day activities such as washing and eating, or is bedridden, in a nursing home, or blind. A housebound benefit is also available. Both are paid in addition to the pension.

A death pension benefit is payable to surviving spouses and dependent children. There is an income test to qualify. Burial allowances include a gravesite in a national cemetery, a headstone or a marker, a flag, a presidential memorial certificate, and ongoing maintenance of the grave.

2. Survivor benefits

Veterans Affairs offers a number of benefits to the spouse and children of a veteran who died in service or from a servicerelated disability.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monthly payment of $1,154 (in 2009) available to a spouse. He or she will receive an extra $286 a month for each child. This is a tax-free benefit. A spouse who remarries at age 57 years or over can continue to receive the benefit. A $250 transitional benefit is also paid each month for two years if the spouse has children under 18 years.

A lump sum DIC for surviving children if there is no surviving spouse is currently $488 for one child. This amount reduces with the greater number of children in the family, right up to nine children who each receive $217.66.

A parents’ DIC may be paid as a monthly benefit to the parents of a veteran who dies in active service. The benefit is means tested.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program pays a monthly education or training allowance. The spouse or children can receive this monthly payment for up to 45 months.

Work-study employment is available to a spouse or children who study full time or at least three-quarter time toward a degree or a vocational or professional qualification.

Other benefits include Vet Center bereavement counseling, and beneficiary financial counseling services, as well as those listed under other headings.

3. Education

Benefits for training and education are available under various programs. The benefit can usually be used for a degree or certificate course, apprenticeship, flight training, or a correspondence course. Under some circumstances, a remedial, deficiency, or refresher course might be approved.

From Aug. 1, 2009, the new Post-9/11 GI Bill will pay tuition and fees to an institution of higher learning, as well as for books and supplies to the value of $1,000. It will also pay a monthly housing allowance and a one-off payment for those in rural areas. The education benefits will be available for 15 years after release from active duty and can be paid for up to three years.

Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty also provides up to three years of education benefits for veterans. Benefits under this program are available for up to 10 years.

The Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve offers similar benefits to the active duty program but to members of reserve forces such as Army Reserve and Navy Reserve.

A Reserve Education Assistance Program gives education benefits to reserve officers called up to war or national emergency.

A $600 buy-up program allows certain service persons and reservists to contribute up to $600 to the GI Bill and receive extra benefits up to $5,400.

Veterans Education Assistance Program is for veterans who first entered service between 1977 and 1985 who made contributions to this program from their pay. The government will contribute $2 for every dollar and the money can be used for various courses.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program pays for education and training of dependents of those who died on active duty, or died or became totally disabled due to a service-related condition. Special restorative or vocational training may be available.

4. Vocational rehabilitation

The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program assists veterans with a service-related disability to prepare for work, find a job, and keep it. This includes services such as an evaluation to determine a veteran’s abilities and skills, learning job seeking skills and resume writing, help finding a job, on the job training, and tertiary training at a college or a vocational or business school.

Free vocational education counseling is available to veterans and dependents. Services might include aptitude and interests testing, exploring different occupations and setting goals, and examining education or training options.

5. Home loans

A Veterans Affairs Home Loan is available to eligible veterans. This includes those who served in World War II or the Korean, Vietnam, or Gulf wars for at least 90 days, or less than 90 days if discharged due to disability. It also includes those who served at least 180 days during peacetime.

A departmental loan counselor can be appointed to a veteran who is experiencing mortgage difficulties. Services to help avoid foreclosure include a repayment plan, special forbearance, loan modification, extra time to arrange a sale, short sale, and a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

A Veterans Affairs Home Loan to a surviving spouse may offer a better interest rate than other home loans. Under the Home Loan Guaranty, a spouse may be able to secure a guaranteed loan through a private lender. This could be for a new or existing home, or renovations, or to refinance an existing mortgage.

6. Life insurance

Veterans Affairs offer life insurance benefits to veterans who cannot get private cover due to a service-related disability. Service members’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) members who are discharged due to totally disability may be able to stay covered for up to two years without cost.

All SGLI members automatically qualify for the Traumatic Injury Protection program. This is effective from Dec. 1, 2005, and applies retrospectively to Oct. 7, 2001 for injuries sustained in the Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom operations.

Payments are available to spouses of deceased veterans under SGLI. The maximum amount is $400,000 and is not taxable. Payment can be a lump sum or 36 equal monthly installments. Family SGLI provides a further amount of up to $100,000 for a spouse and $10,000 for each child.

TOP WOMEN

IN THE MILITARY

After the five federal service academies—U.S. Military Academy, U.S Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy , U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy—opened their doors to women some 38 years ago, the first cohort began going into positions of leadership in 1980. Those distinguished graduates, some of whom are featured in the Top Women in the Military list, have broken through the brass ceiling as they served the nation.

Photo: Army 1st. Lt. Demetria Elosiebo inspects a UH-60 Black Hawk tail rotor during a pre-flight check. Elosiebo, who recently graduated from flight school, is the first African-American female aviator in the District of Columbia Army National Guard.

Darlene Iskra was one of the first female line officers to graduate from the Naval School of Diving and Salvage in 1980. Taking advantage of opportunities the Navy had to offer in the expansion of women’s roles, she served on several Navy staffs and on four salvage ships. In 1990, Iskra took command of USS Opportune, becoming the first woman commander of a commissioned naval vessel. After 21 years of service, Iskra retired from the Navy in April 2000.

Seven years later, she did a Ph.D. study on women who have risen to the top of a masculine institution, and the strategies they used. Iskra’s book “Breaking through the Brass Ceiling: Strategies of Success for Elite Military Women” came about as a result of this study on the small group of military women who have Adm. Michelle Howard is the highest rankbroken through ing woman in the U.S. military. She is the the “brass ceiling” first female four-star admiral in the Navy’s and their strate238-year history and the first AfricanAmerican woman to attain four-star rank gies for career in Pentagon history. success—decisions about career vs. family, leadership, behavior in the workplace, mentoring relationships, and response to career and personal challenges.

In 2011, the author was interviewed for an upcoming edition of the CBS Early Show. They were doing a segment on Brig. Gen. Loretta Reynolds, the first female Marine Corps general to have graduated from the Naval Academy (1986), eighth woman to become a Marine Corps general in its history, and the first female Marine to command in a combat area.

Writing in TIME magazine, Iskra said:

“In the military, firsts are a record of the doors that are slowly being opened to women. They are important in that they show an evolutionary change in the roles of women in the service of our country. I know: I was the first woman in history to command a U.S. Navy vessel.

“Brigadier General Reynolds has been in the Marine Corps for a quarter-century. She has lived and breathed the corps and negotiated challenges she had to overcome to get to her current position. The challenges she may face will probably not be new to her, but her response will certainly be different from those of her male predecessors. Her male subordinates will have to accommodate that. That’s the way of the military: she who wears the gold, rules!”

U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., was founded in 1802

U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in 1845

U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., in 1876

U.S Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., in 1943

U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1954

AIR FORCE

Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger

Commander Air Force Materiel Command

Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger began her career as an engineer in acquisition. Today, she commands 80,000 people in the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). The AFMC provides support that keeps weapon systems ready for war through logistics and acquisition management services. Gen. Wolfenbarger is a 1980 engineering sciences graduate of the Air Force Academy. She also holds a 1985 master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned a master’s in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University in 1994.

Lt. Gen. Judith Fedder

Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics Installations and Mission Support

Lt. Gen. Judith Fedder is responsible to the chief of staff for management of Air Force logistics readiness, aircraft and missile maintenance, civil engineering and security forces, as well as setting policy and preparing budget estimates. Lt. Gen. Fedder is a graduate of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at Michigan State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in dietetics, a master’s degree in systems management and is a distinguished graduate of the Air Command and Staff College.

Lt. Gen. Susan Helms was assigned as a weapons separation engineer after commissioning at the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1980. As a flight test engineer, she flew in more than 30 types of aircraft and was a U.S. Air Force exchange officer to Canada’s Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment. In 1990 she became an astronaut and on Jan. 13, 1993, then an Air Force major and a member of the space shuttle Endeavour crew, she became the first U.S. military woman in space.

Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson has served as superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy since Aug. 2013. She directs a 4-year regimen of military training, academics, athletic and character development programs leading to a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant. She was a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Academy in 1981, and completed graduate studies as a Rhodes Scholar before earning her pilot wings in 1984.

Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski entered the Air Force in 1978 through the ROTC program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She then attended University of California at Berkeley and received a Doctorate of Philosophy in chemical engineering, entering active duty in 1982. Currently, as the commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center she leads 5,000 employees and an annual budget of $10 billion. The general manages the research, development, acquisition, and sustainment of satellites.

Lt. Gen. Lori Robinson assists leadership of the Air Combat Command (ACC) in maintaining combatready forces for deployment. ACC operates 1,300 aircraft, 22 wings, 14 bases, and 500 organizations in 50 locations with 83,838 active-duty and civilian personnel. General Robinson entered the Air Force in 1982 through the ROTC program at the University of New Hampshire. She has served in a variety of positions as an air battle manager, including instructor at the Air Force Fighter Weapons School.

Lt. Gen. Susan Helms

Commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), Air Force Space Command Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, U.S. Strategic Command

Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson

Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy

Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski

Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center Air Force Space Command

Lt. Gen. Lori Robinson

Vice Commander Air Combat Command

Each April, the Department of Defense observes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month and commits to raising awareness and promoting the prevention of sexual violence. The 2014 Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign focuses on healthy sexuality and young people. This April, support the many ways the Department of Defense works within each service, across the department and in our communities to combat this issue.

Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter

Air Force Civil Engineer, Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, Installations & Mission Support

Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter is responsible for installation support at 166 Air Force bases with a budget of more than $12 billion. She is also responsible for training the 60,000-person engineering force, and for planning, development, construction, maintenance, utilities and the environmental quality of bases valued at more than $251 billion. A career civil engineer, she entered the Air Force in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at Purdue University.

Maj. Gen. Sharon Dunbar is dualhatted as commander of the Air Force District of Washington and 320th Air Expeditionary Wing. The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) provides major command-level support for 60,000 military and civilian personnel. Dunbar is also the Uniform Code of Military Justice authority for 40,000 Airmen. The general was commissioned in 1982 upon graduation from the Air Force Academy.

Maj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry entered the Air Force in 1982 as a graduate of the Air Force Academy. Currently, she is vice commander of the Air Mobility Command’s sole warfighting numbered air force. 18th Air Force is responsible for providing rapid, mobility and sustainment for America’s armed forces through airlift, aerial refueling, and aeromedical evacuation with more than 39,000 active-duty Airmen, Reservists and civilians and approximately 1,300 aircraft. Maj. Gen. Sandra Finan is commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. The center comprises more than 3,500 Airmen at 11 locations in the United States and Europe and is responsible for nuclear weapons sustainment. General Finan entered the Air National Guard in 1982 as an enlisted cryptographic equipment repairperson. She received her Air Force commission in 1985 as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School.

Maj. Gen. Stayce Harris received a commission through the University of Southern California’s Air Force ROTC program. She served on active duty until joining the Reserve in 1991. She has commanded an airlift squadron, an expeditionary operations group and an air refueling wing. In her civilian occupation, she is a commercial airline pilot flying routes to Asia and the Middle East.

Maj. Gen. Dorothy Hogg’s directorate is responsible for medical force education and training. As Chief of the Nurse Corps, she evaluates nursing policies and programs for 18,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian nursing personnel. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern Maine in 1981 and received her commission in 1983. She earned a master’s in public administration from Troy State University in 1992 and a master’s in nursing from the Medical University of South Carolina.

Maj. Gen. Sharon Dunbar

Commander Air Force District of Washington

Maj. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry

Vice Commander 18th Air Force

Maj. Gen. Sandra Finan

Commander, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center

Maj. Gen. Stayce D. Harris

Mobilization Assistant to the Commander 18th Air Force

Maj. Gen. Dorothy Hogg

Assistant Air Force Surgeon General, Medical Force Development and Chief of the Nurse Corps, Office of the Surgeon General

Maj. Gen. Wendy Masiello

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition

Maj. Gen. Wendy Masiello is responsible for acquisition of weapon systems, logistics, and contingency support for the Air Force. General Masiello has served as principal contracting officer for surveillance and reconnaissance systems, weapon systems and test ranges. She has also served as the director of contracting at two systems acquisition centers. Masiello was commissioned in 1980 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Texas Tech University.

Maj. Gen. Susan Mashiko assists the director and principal deputy director in managing operations of the National Reconnaissance Office. As commander, Air Force Space Command Element, she manages Air Force personnel and resources assigned to the NRO and serves as the senior adviser to the director on all military matters. General Mashiko entered the Air Force as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy where she earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering.

Maj. Gen. Margaret Poore ensures that commanders around the world have skilled Air Force personnel to conduct the mission. The Air Force Personnel Center’s diverse workforce, with 10 subordinate units, has 3,600 Air Force military, civilian and contractor personnel responsible for worldwide operations for 1.77 million Airmen and family members. General Poore was commissioned through Officer Training School and entered the Air Force in July 1987. Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward directs Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response to develop and implement prevention and response programs. The office addresses sexual assault prevention, education, victim assistance and assessment efforts. Prior to her current assignment, Gen, Woodward was chief of safety of the Air Force and commander of the Air Force Safety Center. General Woodward entered the Air Force in 1983 as a graduate of Arizona State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering.

Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno is responsible for launching U.S. government and commercial satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. She is also the final authority for launches on the Eastern Range, a 15-million-square-mile area which supports an average of 15 launches per year aboard Delta, Atlas, Falcon, Navy and emerging launch vehicles. General Armagno entered the Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1988.

Brig. Gen. Crockett heads up communications for the state of California’s military department, overseeing media and government relations. She also has a combat role as the assistant division commander for the Guard’s 40th infantry division. Brig. Gen. Crockett started her career in 1982, with the 129th Air Rescue Wing. She is the first Latina general officer in California National Guard history.

Maj. Gen. Susan Mashiko

Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance Office

Maj. Gen. Margaret Poore

Commander, Air Force Personnel Center

Maj. Gen. Margaret H. Woodward

Director of the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response

Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno

Commander, 45th Space Wing, and Director, Eastern Range, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla

Brig. Gen. Sylvia Crockett

Assistant Division Commander, 40th Infantry Division Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, California

Brig. Gen. Dawn Dunlop

Director of Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments Headquarters Air Education and Training Command

Brig. Gen. Dawn Dunlop assists the Air Education and Training Command in programming $6.9 billion that supports 62,000 personnel. Spread across 22 bases, the command is charged with recruiting and training for the U.S. Air Force. Dunlop earned a Bachelor in Engineering Sciences and is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. She also holds a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering.

Brig. Gen. Gretchen Dunkelberger serves as the Air National Guard’s assistant to the Air Force chief nurse. She is responsible for advising on all programs and policies related to recruitment, training, and retention of the nearly 3,000 commissioned and enlisted nursing personnel in the Air National Guard. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of New Hampshire in 1983 and joined the Air Force the same year.

Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso is the director, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. She entered the Air Force in 1986 as a Reserve Officer Training Corps after earning a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Industrial Management from Carnegie-Mellon University. She also holds an M.B.A. from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval Command and Staff College. Brig. Gen. Vera Linn Jamieson guides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tactics, techniques, procedures, and training applicable to Air Combat Command forces. An Air Force Fighter Weapons School graduate, she has commanded an intelligence squadron and a joint intelligence operations center.

Brig. Gen. Linda Medler oversees execution of the Cyber Command’s budget for the U.S. Department of Defense and led development of the Cyber Mission Force integrated master plan. This covers three areas: Defend the Nation in Cyberspace, Provide Support to Combatant Commands, and Protect Department of Defense’s Information Networks. Medler entered active duty as a Marine. After graduating from boot camp, she served in the Marine Corps Reserve. She was commissioned from the Air Force Officer Training School in 1987

Brig. Gen. Martha Meeker also earned her commission as a graduate of the Air Force Officer Training School in 1987. Her assignments include duty as an EC135, KC-135 and E-3 instructor navigator within Strategic Air Command and NATO. Currently, as vice commander of the Air Force’s Expeditionary Center she provides oversight for support, response, and mission sets within the global mobility enterprise.

Brig. Gen. Gretchen S. Dunkelberger

Air National Guard Assistant to Gen. Hogg

Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso

Director, Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Headquarters U.S. Air Force

Brig. Gen. VeraLinn Jamieson

Director of Intelligence, Headquarters Air Combat Command Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

Brig. Gen. Linda R. Medler

Director, Capability and Resource Integration (J8) U.S. Cyber Command

Brig. Gen. Martha Meeker

Vice Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center

Brig. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost

Deputy Director for Politico-Military Affairs Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate

Brig. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost is responsible for recommending policy on Europe, Eurasia, and NATO to the director for Strategic Plans and Policy and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Van Ovost graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1988. After earning her wings, she served as an airlift pilot and became a test pilot on the C-17A program as well as an instructor at the Test Pilot School.

Brig. Gen. Carolyn Protzmann is responsible to the Adjutant General for the operational readiness of the New Hampshire Air National Guard. She is a dual-status commander, who authorizes control of active-duty troops as well as National Guard troops during state emergencies. General Protzmann joined the Air Force in 1978, receiving her commission through Officer Training School in 1979.

Brig. Gen. Allyson Solomon began her military career by enlisting in the Maryland Air National Guard in 1979. She is the first African American appointed a senior commander in the Maryland Air National Guard. In January 2003, she was the first woman to be promoted to colonel in MDANG history. In 2006, she was selected to serve as the chief of the office responsible for managing the careers and training of over 350 general officers nationwide. Brig. Gen. Cassie Strom is director of the Veterans Advocacy Project and Air National Guard assistant to the judge advocate general of the Air Force. The Veterans Advocacy Project is a non-profit organization interested in assisting individuals who require better insight into obtaining service connected benefits and entitlements which veterans so badly deserve.

Brig. Gen. Carol Timmons is responsible for providing ready forces in support of mobilization and emergency operations. Timmons develops programs and policies in support of Delaware’s C-130 Wing and maintains liaison with major commands and the National Guard Bureau. In 1980, Timmons earned her commission through Officer Candidate School. In 1981, she earned her Army pilot wings and in 1984 she was awarded her Air Force pilot wings.

Brig. Gen. Jennifer Walter assists Iowa’s Adjutant General. Previously, she held the position of vice commander of the 132nd Fighter Wing where she was responsible for exercising command over 970 personnel and 21 aircraft. Airman Walter began her career as a technician in 1975. She received commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1986. Three years later, she earned a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University.

Brig. Gen. Carolyn Protzmann

Assistant Adjutant General - Air, New Hampshire National Guard Commander, New Hampshire Guard

Brig. Gen. Allyson Solomon

Assistant Adjutant General Maryland Air National Guard

Brig. Gen. Cassie Strom

Assistant to The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force

Brig. Gen. Carol A. Timmons

Assistant Adjutant General - Air, Delaware National Guard Commander, Delaware Air National Guard Assistant Adjutant General

Brig. Gen. Jennifer Walter

Chief of Staff of the Iowa Air National Guard

Brig. Gen. Linda Urrutia-Varhal

Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

Brig. Gen. Sarah Zabel

Director, Command, Control, Communications and Cyber (C4) Systems

Brig. Gen. Linda Urrutia-Varhall was commissioned in 1984 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The general has held command and staff positions in the wing, major command, headquarters and joint environments. In 1998, she was named to command the first Air Force Information Warfare Flight at 9th Air Force/Central Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C. Brig. Gen. Sarah Zabel is responsible for planning, integration, operations and maintenance of the U.S. Transportation Command’s C4 systems. She also serves as the command’s chief information officer, responsible for the investment strategy for all information technology resources. General Zabel earned her commission from the Air Force Academy in 1987.

ARMY

Lt. Gen. Kathleen M. Gainey

Deputy Commander U.S. Transportation Command

Lt. Gen. Kathleen Gainey is deputy commander, U.S. Transportation Command. Her previous commands include the 5th Heavy Boat Company and the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. She received her commission as a second lieutenant through ROTC in 1978, after graduating from Old Dominion University, with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education commanding general of the Army Medical Department and Medical Command.

Lt. Gen Patricia E. McQuistion

Lt. Gen. Patricia McQuistion assumed duties as deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Materiel Command Aug. 7, 2012. She previously served as commanding General, Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island, Ill. She is a 1980 graduate of the University of Akron, Ohio, where she earned a commission in the U.S. Army through the ROTC program.

Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho

Surgeon General and Commanding General U.S. Army Medical Command

Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson

Senior Advisor to the Chief of the Army Reserve U.S. Army Reserve

Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho assumed command of the Army Medical Command on December 2011 and was sworn in as Army Surgeon General two days later. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina in 1982 and a master’s in clinical trauma from University of Pittsburgh. She is the first female and first Nurse Corps Officer nominated by the President of the United States as surgeon general and Maj. Gen. Marcia Anderson is senior advisor in the Army Reserve. She advises on policies and programs including force structure, the Congressional budget and appropriations, development of manpower and personnel policies. Maj. Gen. Anderson has commanded at the company level through general officer. A citizen-soldier, Anderson is currently on leave from the United States Courts, where she serves as the Clerk of Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Wisconsin.

Maj. Gen. Deborah Ashenhurst

The Adjutant General, Ohio Joint Force Headquarters – Ohio

Maj. Gen. Deborah Ashenhurst is responsible for the command of the Ohio National Guard and military readiness of the Ohio Militia. General Ashenhurst supervises four flag officer heads of these components and four deputy directors in the day-to-day operation and management of the agency. Ashenhurst’s career began in 1978 when she enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard. She was commissioned an Engineer Officer in 1980 through the Ohio Army National Guard’s Officer Candidate School.

Maj. Gen. Julie Bentz is responsible for writing policy, coordinating dialogue, informing presidential budgetary decisions and building consensus in programs that develop United States strategic capabilities. She played a key role in developing government approach to nuclear forensics including the creation of the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center.

Maj. Gen. Gwen Bingham is the current commander of the White Sands Missile Range. She was the 51st Quartermaster General of the Army and commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School—the first female officer to hold these positions. She was commissioned second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps a distinguished military graduate of Army ROTC. Maj. Gen. Maria Britt was commissioned from the U.S. Military Academy, a Second Lieutenant in May 1983. She holds a Bachelor of Science in general engineering and a master’s in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College. She is a graduate of the Army War College and has a second master’s degree in strategic studies. Her military education includes the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Jungle Warfare School, the Command and General Staff College.

Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols was named the deputy commanding general for support/chief of staff, U.S. Installation Management Command in July 2013. The command delivers installation services and sustains facilities in support of senior commanders to enable a ready Army. Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols enlisted in 1975 and has 20 years of experience in Department of Defense acquisition. She was commissioned as an engineer officer from the U.S. Military Academy in 1981.

Maj. Gen. Joyce Stevens is the first female general officer in the Texas Army National Guard. began her military service in 1979. Most recently, she deployed as a task force commander in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Her unit was responsible for Base Operations, which entailed the management and security of Bagram Air Field (the largest U.S Base in Afghanistan).

Maj. Gen. Julie Bentz

Director, Strategic Capabilities Policy National Security Staff

Maj. Gen. Gwendolyn Bingham

Commanding General, White Sands Missile Range

Maj. Gen. Maria Britt

Commanding General, Georgia Army National Guard

Maj. Gen. Camille Nichols

Commanding General Army Contracting Command

Maj. Gen. Joyce Stevens

Assistant to the Adjutant General Texas Military Forces

Maj. Gen. Nadja West

Joint Staff Surgeon, at the Pentagon Washington, D.C.

Maj. Gen. Nadja West is the first African American two-star general in the Army Medical Command. She serves as chief medical advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff and combatant commanders. MG West is a graduate from the U.S. Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. She attended the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D. C., where she earned a Doctorate of Medicine.

Brig. Gen. Roma Amundson is responsible for Nebraska Army National Guard Soldiers. She advises the Adjutant General on issues pertaining to education, training, and utilization and represents him and the command group when necessary. General Amundson received her commission from the Nebraska State Officer Candidate School program in 1980.

Brig. Gen. Patricia Anslow is the first woman in charge of the Arkansas Army National Guard. She is a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. She has had a 24 year career with the military including service as the commander of the 875th Engineer Battalion of the Arkansas Army National Guard during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006-2008.

Brig. Gen. Elizabeth Austin its first female brigadier general in the North Carolina National Guard. The 32-year veteran initially enlisted into the Army National Guard to pay her college tuition, not knowing she would become an icon. Austin previously served as the director of logistics before taking her new post as the National Guard’s Adjutant General to the Army.

Brig. Gen. Margarett Barnes was commissioned in 1984 after earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. Her most recent assignment was as commander, Army Forces Command Augmentation Unit. During her tenure, she deployed with her battalion to Camp Wolf, Kuwait.

Brig. Gen. Margaret Burcham became the first woman to be promoted to general officer in the Corps of Engineers, Jan. 2012. She is also the first woman to command a Corps of Engineers division when she took command of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, with the responsibility for the federal water resource throughout the Great Lakes and Ohio River basins. Burcham received her commission at the U.S. Military Academy in 1982.

Brig. Gen. Dana Capozzella as the primary advisor on all Army National Guard matters. She also serves as commander of the Colorado National Guard and is responsible for the readiness, training, and policies for all of the Colorado Army National Guard to support its State and Federal Mission. General

Brig. Gen. Roma Amundson

Assistant Adjutant General-Army for the Nebraska National Guard

Brig. Gen. Patricia Anslow

Assistant Adjutant General

Brig. Gen. Elizabeth Austin

National Guard’s Adjutant General to the Army

Brig. Gen. Margarett Barnes

Deputy Commanding General U.S. Army Human Resources Command

Brig. Gen. Margaret Burcham

Commander, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Brig. Gen. Dana Capozzella

Assistant Adjutant General-Army, Colorado

Capozzella was commissioned in 1987 through the ROTC program at St. Lawrence University.

Brig. Gen. Carol Eggert is responsible for overseeing the readiness of the Pennsylvania National Guard and assisting the Adjutant General in operation of Pennsylvania National Guard forces. General Eggert began her career as an enlisted soldier serving in the Army Band and the Army Recruiting Command. She was commissioned in 1985 through the Officer Candidate School.

Brig. Gen. Darlene Goff enlisted in 1977 and then earned a commission in 1981. She has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Lander University and a Master of Arts in Computer and Information Resource Management from Webster University. She also holds a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

Brig. Gen. Janice Igou received her commission as a Quartermaster Officer through ROTC. She then left active duty and joined the Virginia National Guard in 1991. She now serves as lead general officer for outreach to state and local leaders, organizations, and communities, as well as officials at the National Guard Bureau. Brig. Gen. Maria Kelly enlisted in the Army in 1983, and in 1988 she was commissioned through the ROTC program at Ohio University. She is deputy to the assistant adjutant general for Army, Ohio National Guard, and commander of the Special Troops Command.

Brig. Gen. Joanne Sheridan serves as the principal military advisor to The Adjutant General of the State of Louisiana and is responsible for assisting deployment and coordination of programs, policies, and plans for the Louisiana Army National Guard. General Sheridan attended Northeast Louisiana University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She received her commission through the ROTC in 1983.

Brig. Gen. Marianne Watson, director of manpower and personnel at the National Guard Bureau, received her commission and was selected as Honor Graduate of the Virginia National Guard Military Academy at Ft. A.P. Hill. In January 2000, she transferred to and continues to serve with the Minnesota Army National Guard. Brig. Gen. Watson has served at the National Guard Bureau since 1987.

Brig. Gen. Martha Wong has held numerous leadership positions in the Hawaii National Guard including commander, Hawaii State Area Command. She was commissioned in 1982 through the University of Texas (ROTC) as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Prior to commissioning, General Wong served as an enlisted member of the Texas Army National Guard.

Brig. Gen. Carol Eggert

Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Pennsylvania National Guard

Brig. Gen. Darlene Goff

Director, Joint Staff - (SC) Joint Force Headquarters

Brig. Gen. Janice Igou

Assistant Adjutant General - Army, Virginia National Guard and Director of Interagency Operations

Brig. Gen. Maria Kelly

Assistant Adjutant General

Brig. Gen. Joanne Sheridan

Assistant Adjutant General – Army for the Louisiana National Guard

Brig. Gen. Marianne Watson

Director of Manpower and Personnel National Guard Bureau

Brig. Gen. Martha Wong

Mobility Assistant, Director, Logistics, Engineering and Security Assistance (J4) United States Pacific Command

Brig. Gen. Kaffia Jones

Deputy Commander, 335th Signal Command (Theater)

Brig. Gen. Kaffia Jones provides critical communications and information services in support of forces in Southwest Asia. Recently she completed a 15-month deployment, providing communications support to the warfighter throughout South West Asia. Brig. Gen. Jones enlisted in the Quartermaster Corps in 1976 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Army National Guard in 1980.

Brig. Gen. Laura Richardson became the first female deputy commanding general of a maneuver division, July 2012, when she was selected deputy commanding general-support, for the 1st Cavalry Division. She was promoted brigadier general 2012. She was military aide to Vice President Al Gore and Army Liaison Officer to the United States Senate.

Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith is responsible for human resources policy to improve readiness across the Army Reserve of 205,000 Soldiers. Smith was a 4-year ROTC scholarship recipient and she graduated from the University of Oregon in 1986. During her 26 year military career she has served in logistics, initial entry training/basic combat training units. Brig. Gen. Kathy Wright is responsible for readiness, leadership, and strategic planning to support units with more than 1,700 Soldiers. Units of the Wyoming Army National Guard include field artillery, engineer, maintenance, aviation, command and control, and an Army band. General Wright began her career with the National Guard in 1973 as the sixth female to enlist with the Wyoming Guard. She received her commission from the Wyoming Officer Candidate Program on April 21, 1978.

Rear Adm. Linda Fagan, one of three military deputy directors of operations at the U.S. Northern Command, is the senior Coast Guard officer on staff. She is principal advisor to the Northern Command commander on maritime domain awareness, maritime response and the Arctic. Admiral Fagan’s 27 year career has taken her to all seven continents. After graduating from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985, Fagan served for two years as a deck watch officer on board the Polar Star.

Rear Adm. Sandra Leigh Stosz was chosen by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Robert J. Papp to become Superintendent of Coast Guard Academy in 2011. She is the first woman to lead a U.S. military service academy. Stosz, a 1982 graduate of the Academy, is the first female graduate to achieve flag rank. Adm. Stosz has also served as the commanding officer of Coast Guard Training Center. In 1990, as a Coast Guard lieutenant, Stosz became the first woman to command a Coast Guard cutter in the Great Lakes.

Brig. Gen. Laura Richardson

Commander U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood

Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith

Director, Human Capital Core Enterprise United States Army Reserve

Brig. Gen. Kathy Wright

Commander of the Wyoming Army National Guard and Assistant Adjutant General – Army

COAST GUARD

Rear Adm. Linda Fagan

Deputy Director of Operations United States Northern Command

Rear Adm. Sandra Leigh Stosz

Superintendent, Coast Guard Academy United States Coast Guard

Rear Adm. Cari Thomas

Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District

Rear Adm. Cari Thomas’s area of responsibility includes, Guam, American Samoa and activities in Saipan, Singapore and Japan. A 1984 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, Thomas graduated with distinction from the Naval War College with a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Coast Guard Academy.

Rear Adm. Maura Dollymore supervises approximately 170 U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers and civilian professionals who deliver health care, safety and work-life/family services to active duty USCG members. She entered the Commissioned Corps in 1978 as a National Health Service Corps Scholar.

Maj. Gen. Garrett is a graduate of the Reserve Amphibious Warfare Course, Command and Staff Course, Reserve Intelligence Officers Course and the Advanced Logistics Officers Course. She is a former Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps student and 1978 graduate of the University of Washington, where she received her B.A. in English. She was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in June 1978. Brig. Gen. Monahan was commissioned in 1984 and assigned to the Education Center, Marine Corps Development and Education Command. Returning to reserve duty, her assignment to the 25th Marine Regiment quickly turned into mobilization in support of Operation Enduring Freedom until August 2003. Later she held billets as transportation officer, Marine Logistics Command. In 2008 she returned to active duty as the assistant chief of staff, G-7 Engineers.

Brig. Gen Loretta Reynolds was commissioned by the Marine Corps in May 1986 as a recent graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In 2011 she took charge of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. In March 2009, Reynolds assumed command of the Headquarters Group at Camp Pendleton. She deployed the Group to Camp Leatherneck in Afghanistan from March 2010 to 2011, where the Group supported the efforts of I MEF FWD/Regional Command Southwest in Helmand Province.

Admiral Michelle Howard (Surface Warfare Officer), was confirmed by the Senate on December 20th to serve as vice chief of naval operations, the second highest-ranking officer in the Department of the Navy. In this position, she will help Admiral Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, manage operations while focusing on personnel, budget and military readiness. Adm. Howard is the first woman

Rear Adm. Maura Dollymore

Assistant U.S. Surgeon General Coast Guard’s Surgeon General and Chief Safety Officer Director of Health, Safety and Work-Life

MARINE CORPS

Maj. Gen. Tracy Garrett

Special Assistant to the Commander United States Africa Command

Brig. Gen. Marcela Monahan

Assistant Deputy Commandant Combat Development and Integration

Brig. Gen. Loretta Reynolds

Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Commanding General, Eastern Recruiting Region

NAVY

Adm. Michelle Janine Howard

Vice Chief of Naval Operations

to hold the job and the first female four-star admiral, the Navy’s highest rank.. From May 2004 to Sept. 2005, she was commander of Amphibious Squadron Seven. On March 12, 1999, Howard became the first African-American woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy.

Vice Adm. Robin Braun became the chief of Navy Reserve on the staff of the chief of naval operations in Aug. 2012. She is the first female leader of the Navy Reserve and the first for the reserve component of any service. A graduate of Northern Arizona University, she was commissioned in 1980 and designated a naval aviator in 1981. She has accumulated more than 5,800 flight hours in Navy aircraft. VADM Braun is the highest ranking female aviator. Her command tours include: Navy Air Logistics Office and Navy Reserve Carrier Strike Group 10 supporting the USS Harry S. Truman and Joint Task Force Katrina.

Vice Adm. DeRenzi is the principal military legal counsel to the secretary of the Navy and chief of naval operations, and serves as the Department of Defense representative for Ocean Policy Affairs. She is the highest ranking female in the Judge Advocate General Corps, leading 2,300 attorneys, enlisted legalmen, and civilian employees of the Navy JAG Corps. She graduated from Villanova University in 1983 and was commissioned through the JAG Corps Student Program. In 1986, she graduated from the Temple University School of Law.

Vice Admiral Nora Tyson has recently been promoted to vice admiral and named as deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. She served as vice director of the Joint Staff since February 2012. Prior to that, Tyson was the commander of Carrier Strike Group Two from July 29, 2010 to January 12, 2012. She is the first female commander of a U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group. Tyson graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1979, majoring in English. Later that year, she attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in December 1979.

Rear Adm. Annie Andrews assumed command of Navy Recruiting Command Aug. 29, 2013. She has served as commanding officer of the Boston military entrance processing station, Navy recruiting district San Francisco and the Navy’s recruit training command, where she led the training and education efforts of more than 100,000 recruits. Rear Adm. Andrews received her military commission through Savannah State University’s ROTC program earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Savannah State University.

Rear Adm. Sandra Adams was selected for her current assignment as the deputy commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command in Oct. 2012. Her first flag assignment was as the Reserve deputy commander, Navy Region Midwest. She graduated from Michigan State University in 1978 and received her commission in 1981 from Officer Candidate School. Five years later, she transitioned to the Navy Reserve (NR). A full joint-qualified officer and a Capstone graduate, she earned her master’s in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 2003.

Commissioned in 1979, Rear Adm. Raquel Bono obtained her baccalaureate degree from the University of Texas and attended medical school at Texas Tech University. She completed internship and a General Surgery residency

Vice Adm. Robin Braun

Chief of Navy Reserve

Vice Adm. Nanette DeRenzi

Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy

Rear Adm. Nora Tyson

Deputy Commander, US Fleet Forces Command

Rear Adm. Annie B. Andrews

Commander, Navy Recruiting Command

Rear Adm. Sandra Adams

Deputy Commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command

Rear Adm. Raquel Bono

Director, National Capital Region Medical Directorate of the Defense Health Agency

at the Naval Medical Center, and a Trauma and Critical Care fellowship at the Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine. Shortly after training, Bono saw active duty as head of Casualty Receiving at the Fleet Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Rear Adm. Paula Brown graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of the Pacific and was a direct commission to the Civil Engineer Corps in 1982. She was in active duty in Washington D.C. through 1986 before affiliating with the Navy Reserves in 1988. Rear Adm. Brown is a registered civil engineer and an environmental engineer. Her first flag officer assignment was as deputy commander, First Naval Construction Division.

Rear Adm. Althea Coetzee reported to Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy in Sept. 2013. As deputy director for Contingency Contracting, she is responsible for contract policy affecting deployed forces, humanitarian and peacekeeping operations, and disaster relief. Coetzee graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985 and earned her M.B.A. (Law) from National University. She left active duty and joined the Navy Reserve in 1993.

Rear Adm. Cynthia Covell is the highest ranking human resources officer in the Navy. She received her commission via Officer Candidate School in 1980. In March 2012, she was promoted to the rank of rear admiral (Upper Half). She is a training specialist and a certified senior professional in human resources. Rear Adm. Sandy Daniels assumed her current position as senior advisor for Space to the deputy chief of naval operations for information dominance in April 2012. She was designated naval aviator in Jan. 1982 after graduating from the Naval Academy in 1980. Ten years later, she transitioned to the Reserve with 2,000 flight hours. Her first flag assignment was as Reserve assistant, Communication Networks on the Chief of Naval Operations’ staff.

Rear Admiral Katherine L. Gregory is the first female flag officer in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. She assumed command of Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific on July 9, 2010, and took command of all NAVFAC as the highest-ranked Civil Engineer in the Navy in the fall of 2012. A 1982 graduate of the Naval Academy, she holds graduate degrees from University of Southern California and George Washington University.

Rear Admiral Martha Herb is the only female Explosive Ordnance Disposal admiral. Commissioned via Officer Candidate School in 1979, she became one of the first three women officers to graduate from the Naval School of Diving and Salvage. Transitioning to the Reserve Component in 1983, she completed command tours to include: Mobile Diving and Salvage and Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity. She was selected to flag rank in 2010. In her civilian role, Dr. Herb is a licensed clinical professional counselor and certified counselor.

Rear Adm. Paula Campbell Brown

Deputy Commander and Deputy Chief of Civil Engineers Deputy Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command

Rear Adm. Althea Coetzee

Rear Adm. Althea Coetzee Deputy Director, Contingency Contracting Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy

Rear Adm. Cynthia Covell

Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel Commander, Navy Personnel Command

Rear Adm. Sandy Daniels

Senior Advisor for Space, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance

Rear Adm. Katherine Gregory

Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Chief of Civil Engineers

Rear Adm. Martha Herb

Reserve Deputy Commander, Naval Installations Command

Rear Adm. Valerie Huegel

Commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group

Rear Adm. Valerie Huegel was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1980. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Delaware and her master’s degree in counseling from Troy State University. She transitioned to the Navy Reserve in 1986. She mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from October 2008 to January 2011, where she served as director of logistics for the Combined Joint Task Force –Djibouti, Africa. In her civilian career, Huegel has served within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Rear Adm. Jaynes has oversight for nine program offices and seven major defense acquisition programs. She graduated from Indiana University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education, followed by a Master’s in Mathematics in 1982. She was commissioned in 1983 via the Officer Candidate School, and was designated an aeronautical engineering (maintenance) duty officer in 1985. She was also designated an Acquisition Professional Community member in 1996 and earned an M.B.A. from Norwich University in 2008. Jaynes also earned a Systems Engineering Certification from California Institute of Technology Industrial Relations Center in 1999.

Rear Admiral Kibben entered active duty in the U.S. Navy in 1986 following studies for a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College. Kibben’s assignments include the U.S. Naval Academy as the first female chaplain. Most recently, Kibben was detailed to the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains, serving as the executive assistant to the chief of Navy Chaplains. She is the first Chaplain of the Marine Corps, and the first to hold that service’s highest rank for chaplains. Rear Adm. Klein was commissioned in 1981 upon graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy. She earned a Master of Education from University of Southern Maine in 1999. A naval flight officer, her assignments include command of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three; White House Military Office; Brookings Legislative Fellow for Senator Olympia Snowe; operations director, Naval Network Warfare Command; and most recently as Chief of Staff, U.S. Cyber Command.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle took up her new post Aug. 1, 2013. Previously she was chief of staff, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and acting director, Navy Nurse Corps. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

Rear Adm. Ann Claire Phillips graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received her commission through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1983. She is the first woman to command a pre-commissioning unit and become skipper of that ship, when she commissioned and commanded the guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin. She later became the first woman to command a destroyer squadron, when in June 2007 she took the helm of Destroyer Squadron 28.

Rear Adm. Cindy Jaynes

Program Executive Officer for Air Anti-Submarine Warfare Assault and Special Mission Programs

Rear Adm. Margaret Grun Kibben

18th chaplain of the United States Marine Corps and Deputy chief of Navy Chaplains

Rear Adm. Margaret DeLuca Klein

Chief of Staff, J5, on the Joint Staff

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle

Director of the Navy Nurse Corps and Deputy chief, Wounded, Ill, and Injured U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

Rear Adm. Ann Claire Phillips

Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Two

Rear Adm. Margaret Rykowski

Deputy Fleet Surgeon, United States Fleet Forces Command Deputy Director, United States Navy Nurse Corps, Reserve Component

Rear Adm. Rykowski attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 1976 and a Master of Science Degree in Nursing in 1981.Rykowski entered the Navy Reserve as a direct commission officer in 1987. She has held assignments in both medical and fleet hospital units. In the civilian sector, Rykowski is a nursing director at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.

Rear Adm. Thebaud graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. As commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur, the second female to command a Navy destroyer, Thebaud deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom. Ashore, her most recent assignment as chief operating officer, Naval Education and Training Command, Thebaud oversaw operation of learning centers and training support centers with a continual focus on supporting the mission of enabling the Navy to be ready anytime, anywhere.

Rear Adm. Tighe assumed duties as deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/deputy commander, U.S. 10th Fleet on Nov. 2013. Previously, she was interim president of the Naval Postgraduate School. Tighe attended the Naval Postgraduate School and in 2001 was awarded a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Applied Mathematics. She was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy as an ensign (special duty cryptology) in 1984 after earning a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. Rear Adm. Elizabeth Train assumed command of the Office of Naval Intelligence and became director, National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office in September 2013. She previously served as director for Intelligence, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff , where she advised the chairman on intelligence matters and served as the focal point for intelligence support to Department of Defense (DoD) crisis operations and indications within DoD. Train graduated from the College of William and Mary. She received her commission through the Officer Candidate School in 1983.

Rear Admiral Eleanor Valentin is the first female flag officer to serve as director of the Navy Medical Service Corps. She took command of Navy Medicine Support Command and assumed duties as the 16th director of the Medical Service Corps on 1 October 2009. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Psychology at the University of Washington, she completed a master’s in public health (Health Policy and Planning), and a master’s in public health (Biostatistics) at the University of Hawaii.

Rear Adm. Elaine Wagner attended Butler University (B.A., 1976) and Indiana University School of Dentistry (D.D.S., 1980). She completed her Pediatric Dentistry residency at Riley Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis in 1982. She was commissioned and reported to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in December 1983. Recently, she served as chief, Navy Dental Corps from July 2010 to Aug. 2013. In Sept. 2011 she assumed command of Navy Medicine East and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth.

Rear Adm. (select) Cynthia Thebaud

Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific Commander, Task Force 73 Singapore Area Coordinator

Rear Adm. Jan Tighe

Deputy Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command Deputy Commander, U.S. 10th Fleet

Rear Adm. Elizabeth Train

Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence Director, National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office

Rear Adm. Eleanor Valentin

Commander, Navy Medicine Support Command Director of the Medical Service Corps

Rear Adm. Elaine Wagner

Commander, Navy Medicine East and Commander, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

Rear Adm. Diane Webber

Commander of Navy Cyber Forces

Rear Adm. Diane Webber is a leader in manning, training and equipping the Navy’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat systems and Intelligence (C5I) workforce. She took command of the Navy Cyber Forces Sept. 27, 2013 and is the highest ranking female Information Professional Officer Rear Adm. Webber holds certificates in Chief Information Officer and Information Assurance from the Information Resource Management College at National Defense University. Rear Adm. Patricia Wolfe joined the Defense Logistics Agency Joint Reserve Force as its director in Oct. 2011. She is a 1981 graduate of Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in general science. She received her commission through the Villanova Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps program. In 1987, she received her M.B.A. from Brenau University. She affiliated with the Navy Reserve following her release from active duty in 1987 and was promoted to flag rank in October 2007.

Rear Adm. Patricia Wolfe

Acting Commander, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Director, Joint Reserve Force Defense Logistics Agency

Army Spc. Nicol Vargas, Veronica Kramer, Autumn Aderhold, and Brandy Brasted all graduated from the Artillery School at the 139th Regimental Training Institute at Fort Bragg, N.C. on March 19, 2014. Each of these females soldiers are from different states across the U.S. and are the first National Guardsmen to complete the male dominated Artillery School.

career achievement Iris Bombelyn Vice President, Mobile User Objective System Space Systems managerial Leadership Sarah Travelute Senior Manager, Program Management – Subcontracts Missiles and Fire Control

technology all-Star winners: Katherine Clinton Azita Kaovasia Shirley Long Valencia Mance Susan Pergrem Maria Rivera Nita Robertson-Smith Alesia Tisdall Anisha Anthony Michelle Araya Grace Auyeung Linda Baek Letia Barnes Ayannah Buford Heather Booze Janice Burns Lori Charles Donna Childs LaChelle Fields Rachel Gambin Terri Gomez Annitta Haywood Michelle Helaire Avery Huggins Carol Y. Hung Ammu Irivinti Madiha Jafri Anne Jobmann Regina Juarez Megan Lewis Kathryn Martinez Kristan Morris Senthilvadivu Natarajan Margaret Nguyen Nicole Plair Nicole Powell Meena Rork Shanthi Saravanan Sejal Shah Dana Smith Sheena Studdard

“Every day we have an opportunity to model the values of diversity by encouraging our colleagues to bring their best ideas forward, and by demonstrating the value of being collaborative,” words our Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson lives by at Lockheed Martin. We are proud to honor our current our Women of Color awardees — women who exemplify outstanding scientific and technical achievements with their leadership, innovation and inspiration.

technology rising Star winners:

HONOriNg acHievemeNt is always an honor