Woman 4 star admiral

Navy Promotes Woman To 4-Star Admiral - First Ever

The United States Navy has just promoted Admiral Michelle Howard making her the first woman to ever attain a 4-star admiralty.

“If you don’t believe today was a first, when I called to order four-star shoulder boards for women, they didn’t exist,” Howard said. “A special contract was let, and you folks are seeing the first set in the history of the United States Navy.”

The ceremony was held at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and was presided over by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert.

In front of nearly 100 people, Howard thanked her family and fellow officers for the support spanning over 32-years.

Secretary Mabus downplayed the significance of the promotion because the Navy chose the best and most qualified. "The Navy chose the best officer to be the VCNO, that’s the only thing that happened here today,” Mabus said.

Admiral Greenert expanded on the fact that there should not be fanfare because Howard deserved it. “Michelle has put in a tremendous career,” Greenert said. “Thirty-two years of mainstream, at-sea, tough tours. Michelle came up through the amphibious expeditionary warfare arena and came into [Washington] and did the hard jobs that needed to be done. And so she is definitely ready to assume this position, there is no question in my mind.”

The Navytimes. com reports. “A 1982 Naval Academy graduate, Howard has achieved many firsts in her career. She was the first black woman to command a ship — the amphibious dock landing ship Rushmore in 1999 — and went on to command Amphibious Squadron 7 and later Expeditionary Strike Group 2.”

Howard has already relieved Admiral Mark Ferguson, who has taken over as commander of Naval Forces Europe-Africa and Allied Forces Command in Naples, Italy.