Today, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) recognizes U.S. Army Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody.
Dunwoody entered the Army in 1974 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Women’s Army Corps in 1975. Her initial assignment was as a supply platoon leader at the 226th Maintenance Company, 100th Supply and Services Battalion, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
U.S. Army Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody |
Dunwoody became the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division in 1992. She later became Fort Bragg’s first woman general officer in 2000.
President George W. Bush nominated Dunwoody for promotion to general on June 23, 2008. She was confirmed a month later by the Senate. She became the first woman to serve as a four-star general in both the Army and U.S. armed forces.
Her biggest impact in the Army was as the commander of the Army Materiel Command in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. At Redstone Arsenal, she commanded one of the largest commands in the Army, employing more than 69,000 personnel across all 50 states and 145 countries.
After a distinguished 38-year military career, Dunwoody retired Aug. 15, 2012.
This is part of a series of VFW articles to be published throughout March 2020, highlighting women veterans who have made outstanding contributions to our military and society.