Carol Mutter

Carol A. Mutter (born December 17, 1945) is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. She is the first woman in the history of the United States Armed Forces to be appointed to a three-star grade. She retired from the Marine Corps on January 1, 1999. Her last active duty assignment was as Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower and Reserve Affairs (DC/S, M&RA) at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Marine Corps career
Carol Mutter was born on December 17, 1945 in Greeley, Colorado. In 1967 she was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps upon graduation from the University of Northern Colorado. In addition to holding a B.A. degree in Mathematics Education and an honorary doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado, General Mutter has an M.A. degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island and both an M.S. and an honorary doctorate degree from Salve Regina University, also in Newport.

After completing the Woman Officer Basic Course in 1967 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, she was assigned to data processing installations at Quantico, VA and at Camp Pendleton, CA. In 1971, she returned to Quantico as a platoon commander and instructor for women officer candidates and basic course lieutenants; she departed this tour as a Captain.

During 1973-1984, she progressed to the rank of lieutenant colonel while serving as Project Officer for Marine Air Command and Control Systems at Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity at Camp Pendleton, CA; Financial Management Officer at the Development Center, Quantico, Virginia; Assistant Chief of Staff, Comptroller, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Okinawa, Japan; and Deputy Comptroller at Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1985, capitalizing on her expertise in both data processing and financial management, she was assigned as the Deputy Program Manager, and subsequently Program Manager, for the development of new Marine Corps automated pay and personnel systems for active duty, retired, and reserve Marines.

In July 1988, as a colonel, she joined the United States Space Command, J-3 (Operations) Directorate in Colorado Springs becoming the first woman to gain qualification as a Space Director. After initially serving as a Command Center Crew Commander/Space Director she became the Division Chief responsible for the operation of the Space Command Commander in Chief's Command Center.

August 1990 brought a transfer to III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) on Okinawa, Japan and duty as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Comptroller for both III MEF and 3rd Marine Division. In June 1991, she returned to Quantico as a brigadier general to serve as the Deputy Commanding General, Marine Corps Systems Command and Program Manager for Command and Control Systems. In June 1992, she again transferred to Okinawa, this time as the first woman of general/flag officer rank to command a major deployable tactical command, the 3d Force Service Support Group, III MEF, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific. In June 1994, she became the first woman in the Marine Corps to be promoted to the grade of major general and served as Commander, Marine Corps Systems Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico until August 1996. On September 1, 1996, Mutter was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed the duties as DC/S M&RA. Lieutenant General Mutter retired in 1999.

General Mutter also attended the Amphibious Warfare School and the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, both at Quantico, Virginia.

Awards and honors
Her medals and decorations include:

Firsts

 * First woman to qualify as Command Center Crew Commander/Space Director at U.S. Space Command.
 * First woman of flag rank to command a major deployable tactical command.
 * First woman Marine major general, and senior woman in all the services at that time.
 * First woman nominated by the President for three-star rank.
 * First woman lieutenant general in U.S. armed service history.