Thursday, November 17, 2016

Trailblazers in Black History: Admiral Michelle J. Howard

 
Michelle Janine Howard is a United States Navy admiral who currently serves as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe while she concurrently serving as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples

She previously served as the 38th Vice Chief of Naval Operations. She assumed her current assignment on June 7, 2016.

Howard has achieved many historical firsts throughout her naval career. She was the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, the USS Rushmore, and the first to achieve three star rank. 

In 2006, she was selected for the rank of rear admiral (lower half), making her the first admiral selected from the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1982 and the first female graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy selected for flag rank. 

On July 1, 2014, Howard became the first woman to become a four-star admiral. As Vice Chief of Naval Operations, which she began that same day, she is the first African-American and the first woman to hold that post. 

Additional information is available here

Source: Wikipedia

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