Women's Activism NYC

Ann E. Dunwoody

1954 - Today

By: St | Date Added:

Ann Elizabeth Dunwoody is the first woman to achieve a Four-Star Officer rank in the Army and in the United States military service history. Dunwoody was born January 14, 1953 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and was born into a military family. Dunwoody’s father was an army officer and a decorated veteran. Her father is a two-time Purple Heart recipient and recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for valor during his service in World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War. Her childhood was spent traveling from army post to army post. Dunwoody graduated from Allied Powers Europe American High School in Belgium and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in physical education from the State University of New York at Cortlandt. Although she was born into a military family, Dunwoody did not have much of an interest in joining the military and had plans to have a career in physical education. It was in her senior year at the State University of New York at Cortlandt that Dunwoody decided to follow her family’s foot steps and join the Army. After graduating in 1975, Dunwoody received her first commission as a second lieutenant at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Dunwoody later went on the receive two master’s degrees during her service, a Master of Science in Logistics Management from the Florida Institute of Technology and Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Once understanding that she enjoyed the military life, Dunwoody continued to serve after her first commission was over. Dunwoody became the first female battalion commander for the 82nd Airborne Division in 1992 and the first female general at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 2000. One of Dunwoody’s most important accomplishments was managing the Army’s largest global logistics command in history, the Army Materiel Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The Army Materiel Command employs more than 69,000 employees across all 50 states and 145 countries. Dunwoody managed a budget of $60 billion and was responsible for $70 billion in contracts. After 33 years of service, on November 14, 2008, Dunwoody was promoted to Four Star General, making her the first American woman to achieve this. After accomplishing many first in her military career and 38 years of service, Dunwoody retired from the Army in 2012.

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