U.S. Names First Female 4-Star General

Va. Native Ann E. Dunwoody Also Sworn In As Commander Of The Army Materiel Command

(AP)  From its humble beginning 33 years ago at an Army post in Oklahoma, the career of Ann E. Dunwoody ascended Friday to a peak never before reached by a woman in the U.S. military: four-star general.

At an emotional promotion ceremony, Dunwoody added a fourth star and, looking back on her years in uniform, said it was a credit to the Army that she was given a chance to rise through the ranks in a male-dominated military.

"Thirty-three years after I took the oath as a second lieutenant, I have to tell you this is not exactly how I envisioned my life unfolding," she told a standing-room-only auditorium. "Even as a young kid, all I ever wanted to do was teach physical education and raise a family."

"It was clear to me that my Army experience was just going to be a two-year detour en route to my fitness profession," she added. "So when asked, `Ann, did you ever think you were going to be a general officer, to say nothing about a four-star?' I say, `Not in my wildest dreams.'

"There is no one more surprised than I - except, of course, my husband. You know what they say, `Behind every successful woman there is an astonished man."'

Later, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia - her birthplace - Dunwoody was being sworn in as commander of the Army Materiel Command, responsible for equipping, outfitting and arming all soldiers. Just five months ago, she became the first female deputy commander there.

Dunwoody, 55, has made it clear that she feels no need for special acclaim for her historic achievement.

"The recognition makes her a little bit uncomfortable from the standpoint of the gender aspect - that we're making a big deal (that) she is the first female general officer," Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, said Thursday in announcing that Defense Secretary Robert Gates would attend her promotion ceremony.

When she was nominated by President George W. Bush in June for promotion to four-star rank, Dunwoody issued a statement saying she was humbled.

"I grew up in a family that didn't know what glass ceilings were," she said. "This nomination only reaffirms what I have known to be true about the military throughout my career - that the doors continue to open for men and women in uniform."

She also told an internal Army publication, "While I may be the first, I know I won't be the last."

There are 21 female general officers in the Army - all but four at the one-star rank of brigadier. It was not until 1970 that the Army had its first one-star: Anna Mae Hays, chief of the Army Nurse Corps.

[get_it_str8]

And she makes a killer meatloaf....

[hitoyou1]

This is great and people who try to take something away are make fun fo this are "IDIOTS" you know who you are.

[meboard]

Congratulations Gen Dunwood!

[glenaw-2009]

It really is amazing that there are people in this world that do nothing constructive but to rain on others parade just to hear thier own words and feed thier own ego''s

[glenaw-2009]

Congradulations to Ann E. Dunwoody for advancing her career one more level. A great accomplishment for anyone!!!

[glenaw-2009]

AmJoe - I doubt very much that Ann E. Dunwoody was put into the position that she is now to further Equal Opportunity Employment. A commander put into the position that she now holds would not be in that position to simply affirm women in the work place. She holds the position because she gets the job done with excellence. The one major problem that I see is if you were to have to take orders from a woman. Your prejudice in itself would make it a detriment to the armed forces. There are many armed forces in this world where women hold their own. Try looking at Israelis armed forces, just to bring up one.

[aggiekat2004]

Funny that GOP_forever isn''t up on the boards anymore to point out that this woman "had the job handed to her" because she''s a woman.

Congratulations, Ann! You''ve worked hard for this. What an honor for you, your family, and our country.

[j_flood]

well done General! Take charge and move out!

[gatofeo]

Back in 1976, I was a US Air Force Security Policeman (Law Enforcement).
I was assigned a female patrol partner, named Brophy, and was not happy about it. I figured I''d have to cover her butt too much.
Well, we got dispatched to a big fight at the Airman''s Club. We pulled up, leaped out of the cruiser and ran inside. A bunch of drunken soldiers, airmen and marines were duking it out.
I grabbed a marine and got him down on the floor, trying to get handcuffs on him. Suddenly, someone leaped on my back -- then that person was gone.
I later learned that Brophy, upon seeing the marine''s girlfriend jump on my back, broke off contact with the airman she was trying to cuff and ran over to pull this woman off me and handcuff her.
Later, in the car, I told Brophy, "You can ride with me any day."
I changed my view toward women in the military that evening and it''s never changed.
Congratulations to Gen. Dunwood for becoming commander of Army Materiel Command. Perhaps she''ll ensure that our troops -- male and female -- get all the "beans and bullets" they need to perform their mission.

[qutlaw104]

I forgot to add congadulations and good luck Gen. Dunwood

[mswolfestock]

General Dunwoody, I salute you, Ma''am.

I''m a female Army veteran (75 - 78, Fort Carson Colorado 4th Ivy Division, MOS 64-C). It''s about time that women made it to the top of the chain of command.

I''d follow her anywhere, HOO-AH!!!!!!!!

[gage170]

Funny that GOP_forever isn''''t up on the boards anymore to point out that this woman "had the job handed to her" because she''''s a woman.
Posted by aggiekat2004 at 10:39 AM : Nov 14, 2008

She now goes by gop_will_win or some such thing and she has been stirring up trouble on other boards!

[mswolfestock]

Trust me on this one -

No woman in the military gets her promotions "handed to her." Quite the opposite is true, and I should know.

General Dunwoody had to work at least three times as hard as her male counterparts to get to the top.

[marcosis78]

In the words of Darth Vader, "Impressive"

[observer2020]

Trust me on this one - No woman in the military gets her promotions "handed to her." Quite the opposite is true, and I should know.
General Dunwoody had to work at least three times as hard as her male counterparts to get to the top.
Posted by mswolfestock

Totally agree...women in the military have to work 10 times as hard as her male counterparts and have to be 10 times as sharp. Congratulations...well deserved, ma''am!

[evian_ycnan]

Grace Hopper would be proud

[seajaya]

"I guess a four-star general is kind of like a governor... only with actual responsibilities."

[hatesthecolt]

The GOP is looking for fresh material to run in 2012, could be she is just what the doctor ordered.


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Posted by thgdriver1

It would be a mistake to assume she''s a Republican.

[clathrate]

Yeah, Ill bet she had dun a lot of woody. Thats how women get a head in this mans Army!


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Posted by DaVicar1

Yeah, you''d know a lot about getting a head wouldn''t ya? I think it''s safe to say you''re a "don''t ask don''t tell" type of guy.

Your trash never ceases to amaze me. It''s absolutely beyond your capability as an American to celebrate the distinguished career of a sucessful military hero.

Go crawl back into the roach motel you came out of.

[sioux4life1]

Hoooah!

[standlee5]

There is no one more surprised than I - except, of course, my husband. You know what they say, `Behind every successful woman there is an astonished man."''


That''s hilarious. I''d never heard that before. Good one, Ann

[farino2]

It''s about time.

[hatesthecolt]

Trust me, if you place her service record next to all the other male 3-stars out there, many of them will have more experience, including actual combat leadership, than her. That is unless you actually believe she''''s the most qualified 3-star in the Army, of course she could be the most qualified in the Logistics field.

...I''''m just sayin''''.


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Posted by alsdailynews

The lines between combat and combat support have been blurred to near indistinction over the last 20 years. Even in the early 80''s a "combat support" Military intelligence officer would share a tracked vehicle with two combat officers. It''s no longer true that one has to have been infantry to have been part of the battle. She is probably every bit as qualified (if not more) than a male counterpart who has spent most of his career in quartermaster corps.

[ludvig1-2009]

We saw the story on TV, but it didn''t say what she was. I told my wife I''ll bet she was a doctor. After reading the above story with her "astonished husband" speech, I told my wife "Nah, she''s a comedian."

[memerider]

This is a real achievement in an organization designed for and by males. Congratulations to the new 4-star general.

[mygramma]

DeckardBR, ****. It IS about time that qualified women have even been considered for promotion to the top ranks, or even the lower ranks, of the general staff. 21 female brigadiers???? It''s NOT about token female promotions because they are long overdue. It''s about a system that blocked consideration of the ADVANCEMENT of QUALIFIED WOMEN and it''s about farging time THAT is over.

[jaykay3141]

o
..||
..||
./ .

I salute you, General!

[jaykay3141]

Grr! CBS''s filters won''t even handle an emoticon.

[billpl-2009]

you can rave and rant all you want about women''s rights and I''ll even agree with you 95% of the time, but....

Teaching women, the mothers and future mothers of our children, to kill people is all wrong
even if it''s in the defence of our own nation
sorry

[kaylag04]

Posted by memerider: "This is a real achievement in an organization designed for and by males."

The problem is not a system designed for males, the problem is a system that has differeing and lower standards for females. Formerly rigorous training programs have decreased the rigor of training to allow more female soldiers to graduate and receive certain qualifications. This creates two damaging situations; 1.) The reinforcement of negative stereotypes regarding gender differences; 2) The prohibition against capable female soldiers demonstrating that they can compete at the higher, male standard of fitness and endurance. There needs to be a single, high standard of performance that allows all soldiers to compete at the same rigorius level, even if it results in fewer women in the military.

[kellyharris5]

We posted the DUI dashboard cam video, you decide. www.theseriouspolice.com

[evian_ycnan]

Done woody

[babooph]

Why was she not the VP choice-bet there would be few jokes !

[blackyowe]

Congratulations from another member of Clan Maxwell!