U.S. Army promotes first woman to four-star general

FORT BELVIOR, Va. -- In this world it is hard enough to make history once, but Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody has done it twice in one day.

At 10 a.m., Nov. 14, Dunwoody became the first woman promoted to the rank of four-star general in U.S. Armed Forces history during a ceremony conducted at the Pentagon. At 2 p.m. Dunwoody officially became the 17th commander, and first female leader, of the U.S. Army Materiel Command during a change of command ceremony at Fort Belvoir, Va., the location of AMC headquarters.

The change of command was presided over by Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey, Jr. and included remarks by Gen. Benjamin S. Griffin, the outgoing commander of AMC, Casey, Dunwoody; music by the AMC Band; a ceremonial color guard; and a 17-gun salute by the Salute Battery from the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) from Fort Myer, Va.

Casey lauded the tremendous accomplishments of Griffin and then welcomed Dunwoody to AMC, “Ann is no stranger to the war on terror, having done a yeoman’s work in the Army’s G-4 in charge of logistics -- our logistics -- for three years before coming to AMC… You have big shoes to fill, but I am confident you will fill them with the same professionalism, pride and expertise with which you have done everything else for the past 33-plus years.”

Casey also complimented the work of AMC’s Soldiers, civilians and ontractors, “Seldom in our history have our Soldiers faced greater challenges. We’ve served at a time when the stakes for our nation are high and for our way of life are high, and the demand on our force is significant. Your mission at AMC is a matter of profound consequence and you continue to reflect the very best of our nation, even after seven years of war.”

Dunwoody is now the Army's lead logistician, in charge of supplying everything Soldiers need to fight and win our nation’s wars, from food and water to bullets and bombs to clothing, vehicles and every type of military equipment.

She will oversee more than 60,000 military and civilian employees -- many with specialties in weapons development, manufacturing and logistics -- who are located at 149 locations worldwide, including more than 40 states and 50 countries.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to have been selected to lead AMC. I know that the team at AMC shares your [Casey’s] and the Secretary’s [of the Army Pete Geren] vision and your passion for this great Army. When Soldiers see the AMC patch, they know they will get help, they know they will get what they need. When they see our symbol they know AMC will respond with great urgency,” said Dunwoody.

Dunwoody is now one of only 11 four-star generals in the U.S. Army. With 33 years of service, Dunwoody has accomplished several other historical firsts -- including being the first female assigned as deputy commanding general of AMC, the deputy chief of staff of Army logistics, and commander of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command.

She was also the commander of the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; the 10th Mountain Division Support Command, Fort Drum, N.Y.; and the 1st Corps Support Command at Fort Bragg. She also deployed during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm with the 82nd as the division parachute officer.

She received a direct commission as a second lieutenant after graduating from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1975. She has graduate degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management.

Dunwoody credits her family for her successes. During her promotion ceremony at the Pentagon she said, “I now know this Army profession I’m so proud to be a part of is a reflection of the very values I grew up with in the Dunwoody family.”

At the Pentagon ceremony she also emphasized, “If anyone is worried about the next generation of warriors, fear not. The bench is filled with talented Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, and while I may be the first woman to receive this honor, I know with certainty I won’t be the last.”

Article by U.S. Army Materiel Public Affairs

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