Ann E. Dunwoody

Ann Elizabeth Dunwoody (born January 14, 1953) is a retired four-star general in the United States Army. She is the first woman in U.S. military and uniformed service history to achieve a four-star officer rank, receiving her fourth star on November 14, 2008.

In 2005 Dunwoody became the Army's top-ranking female when she received the promotion to lieutenant general (three stars) and became the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 (logistics). She was nominated as Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command, by President George W. Bush on June 23, 2008, and confirmed by the Senate one month later. She served in that capacity until August 7, 2012, and retired from the Army on August 15.

Early years
Ann Dunwoody was born in 1953 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia to Elizabeth and Harold Dunwoody. Her father was a career Army officer, and the family lived in Germany and Belgium while she was growing up. She graduated from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) American High School in 1971.

U.S. Army career
In 1975, Dunwoody graduated from State University of New York College at Cortland with a degree in physical education and was direct commissioned into the Women's Army Corps. In an interview with the Military Logistics Forum, Dunwoody explained what drew her to become a soldier:


 * "I grew up in the Army and came from a family who, since 1862, has defended our nation. My great grandfather, my grandfather, my father, my brother, my sister, my niece and my husband are all veterans of this country’s wars. My father is a veteran of three wars and is one of the 25 million veterans living today who served the nation with such incredible courage.


 * While I joined the Army right out of college, I planned to only stay in the Army to complete my two-year commitment, but it wasn’t too long before I realized that there are no other shoes [boots] I would rather fill than the ones I am wearing right now. As a soldier you can continually serve. It is a calling to be a soldier and there is a great sense of pride and camaraderie in serving the greatest Army in the world."

Dunwoody's first assignment was as a platoon leader with the 226th Maintenance Company, 100th Supply and Services Battalion, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. During her 30+ years as a Quartermaster Corps officer she has commanded the 226th Maintenance Company Fort Sill, OK; 5th Quartermaster Detachment (Airborne) Kaiserslautern, Germany; the 407th Supply and Service Battalion/ 782d Main Support Battalion (MSB), Fort Bragg, NC; the 10th Mountain Division Support Command (DISCOM), Fort Drum, NY; the 1st Corps Support Command (1st COSCOM), Fort Bragg, NC; the Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC)/Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), Alexandria, VA; and the Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM), Fort Lee, VA.

Her major staff assignments include service as the Parachute Officer, 82nd Airborne Division; strategic planner for the Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA); Executive Officer to the Director, Defense Logistics Agency; and Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics G-4.

From May 1989 to May 1991, Dunwoody served as executive officer and later division parachute officer for the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm. in 2001, As the 1st Corps Support Command Commander she deployed the Logistics Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 1 and stood up the Joint Logistics Command in Uzbekistan in support of Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF)-180. As Commander of Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), she supported the largest deployment and redeployment of U.S. forces since World War II.

Gen. Dunwoody participated with First Lady Michelle Obama in a forum for promising girls in Washington, D.C. public schools in March 2009.

She officially retired from the Army after 37 years on August 15, 2012.

Career firsts
Among her notable firsts, she became the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division in 1992. She became Fort Bragg's first female general officer in 2000. She became the first woman to command the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Lee, Virginia in 2004. And in 2005, Dunwoody became the first female soldier to achieve three-star rank since Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, the former Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, who retired in 2000.

On November 14, 2008, Dunwoody became the first woman in U.S. military history to achieve the rank of four-star General. Her promotion ceremony was held at the Pentagon, with introductory speeches by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Army Chief of Staff General George W. Casey.

Education

 * Graduated from the State University of New York College at Cortland in 1975, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education.
 * Quartermaster Officers’ Basic Course and Basic Airborne School in 1976
 * Quartermaster Officers Advanced Course
 * Command and General Staff College
 * Master of Science Degree in Logistics Management from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1988.
 * Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1995.
 * United States Army Jumpmaster Course graduate.

Military awards and decorations
Dunwoody's military awards and decorations include:

Other honors

 * 1998 Recipient of the Military Distinguished Order of Saint Martin (Army Quartermaster Corps).
 * 2001 Distinguished Alumna for Cortland State SUNY.
 * 2002 Inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Quartermaster Regiment.
 * 2004 Recipient of the National Defense Transportation Association’s DoD Distinguished Service Award.
 * 2007 Recipient of Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) Distinguished Service Award.
 * 2008 First female four-star general in the United States Armed Services.
 * 2012 Inducted into the Quartermaster Hall of Fame
 * 2012 Recipient Ancient Order of Saint Martin (Army Quartermaster Corps)

Family, military heritage
General Dunwoody has a long family history of U.S. military service – going back five generations. She grew up in a military household, the daughter of Elizabeth (died 2006, age 81) and Harold H. Dunwoody (born c. 1918 in Englewood, Florida).

Her great-grandfather, Brigadier General Henry Harrison Chase Dunwoody, an 1862 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, was the Chief Signal Officer in Cuba from 1898 to 1901. Her father retired from the U.S. Army as a Brigadier General in 1973. Brigadier General Dunwoody is a highly decorated veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was badly wounded in France during World War II and earned the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery while serving as a battalion commander in the Korean War. As a Brigadier General, he commanded the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) during the Vietnam War.

Her brother, Harold H. "Buck" Dunwoody, Jr. is a 1970 West Point graduate.

Her older sister, Susan Schoeck, was the third woman in the Army to become a helicopter pilot.

Her niece, Jennifer Schoeck, is a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot.

She is married to Colonel Craig Brotchie, USAF (Retired).

Quotes
"I am very honored but also very humbled today with this announcement, I grew up in a family that didn't know what glass ceilings were. 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." Lieutenant General Ann Dunwoody

"I have never considered myself anything but a Soldier. I recognize that with this selection, some will view me as a trailblazer, but it's important that we remember the generations of women, whose dedication, commitment and quality of service helped open the doors of opportunity for us today." Lieutenant General Ann Dunwoody

"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.' " Lieutenant General Ann Dunwoody

''“I have followed her career for 33 years. Every assignment she has ever had, she’s done in an outstanding manner. So it really doesn’t surprise me she was the first woman selected for four stars.”'' Dunwoody's Father, retired Brigadier General Harold H. Dunwoody

"Lieutenant General Dunwoody's nomination not only underscores her significant contributions and success throughout 33 years of service, but also shows the level of possible opportunity in our Army's diverse, quality, all-volunteer force. Our nation will continue to benefit from Lieutenant General Dunwoody's leadership as the Army continues to build strength from our diversity." General George W. Casey, Chief of Staff of the Army

"Her 33 years of service, highlighted by extraordinary leadership and devotion to duty, make her exceptionally qualified for this senior position." Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense

Photo controversy
The Department of Defense released an altered photo of General Dunwoody, in which the background of her photo was replaced with a U.S. flag. This resulted in the Associated Press withdrawing the photo, beginning an investigation into its circulation of the altered photo, and temporarily suspending its publication of photos provided by the Department of Defense. There was no evidence that General Dunwoody had any knowledge or involvement in the manipulation. Associated Press director of photography Santiago Lyon said, "For us, there's a zero-tolerance policy of adding or subtracting actual content from an image." The Department of Defense said that the alteration did not violate Army policy, which prohibited editing of an image to misrepresent facts or circumstances.

News articles



















 * Complete text, audio, video of Ann Dunwoody's Speech at the 4-Star Promotion Ceremony at AmericanRhetoric.com
 * Complete text, audio, video of Ann Dunwoody's Speech at the 4-Star Promotion Ceremony at AmericanRhetoric.com

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