First Black Female CO To Command ESG 2

[livvy]

First Black Female CO To Command ESG 2

Staff report
Posted : Friday Dec 12, 2008 17:14:18 EST

The first black woman to command a Navy ship is being assigned as commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 2, according to a Navy announcement.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced Wednesday that Rear Adm. Michelle Howard is being assigned to lead the ESG, based in Norfolk, Va. Howard now serves as senior military assistant to the secretary of the Navy.

Howard is a 1982 Naval Academy graduate. Her sea tours include: the submarine tender Hunley and the auxiliary aircraft landing training ship Lexington; as chief engineer of the ammunition ship Mount Hood; as first lieutenant on the ammunition ship Flint; and as executive officer of the dock landing ship Tortuga.

In 1999, she took command of the dock landing ship Rushmore, becoming the first black woman to command a Navy ship, according to her official biography. She also served as commander, Amphibious Squadron 7, from May 2004 to September 2005.

Her shore tours include: course coordinator/instructor for the Steam Engineering Officer of the Watch course; action officer and the Navy’s liaison to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Military Services in the Bureau of Personnel; action officer J-3, Global Operations, Readiness on the Joint Staff from 2001-2003; executive assistant to the Joint Staff Director of Operations from February 2003 to February 2004; and deputy director N3 on the staff of the chief of naval operations from December 2005 to July 2006.

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http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/12/navy_flagassignment_121008w/%2e

[WhiteTara]

1. wow

It does seem like there is change in the air.