TOP WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES
Vice Adm. Michelle Janine Howard Deputy Commander, U. S. Fleet Forces Command Director, Combined Joint Operations From the Sea Center of Excellence
United States Navy
n March 12, 1999, Vice Adm. Michelle Howard took com- mand of USS Rushmore, becoming the first African-American woman to command a ship in the Navy. In 2006, she was selected for the rank of rear admiral lower half, making her the first admiral selected from the United States Naval Academy class of 1982 and the first woman graduate of the academy selected
O for admiral. She was promoted to three-star rank in 2012.
While serving aboard USS Lexington, she received the Secre- tary of the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins award in May 1987. This award is given to one woman officer a year for outstanding leadership.
In 1996, she deployed in support of a peacekeeping effort in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. Sixty days after returning from the Mediterranean, she departed on a training cruise where the sailors, with a U.S. Marines and Coast Guard de- tachment, operated with the naval services of seven African nations. Deploying with Expeditionary Strike Group 5, her operations included tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia and maritime security operations. She also commanded a multi- national force established to conduct counter-piracy opera- tions in the Indian Ocean aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer in April 2009.
Howard’s shore assignments include: action officer and Navy liaison to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Military Services in the Bureau of Personnel.
Vice Adm. Carol M. Pottenger Deputy Chief of Staff, Capability and Development, NATO Headquarters
Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
ice Admiral Carol Pottenger graduated from Purdue Uni- versity in May 1977 and was commissioned as an ensign through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC). One of the first women selected for sea duty, Pottenger reported aboard USS Yosemite as an engineering division of- ficer and completed a Mediterranean deployment.
V Pottenger took command of USS Bridge in support of Opera-
www.womenofcolor.net
tion Enduring Freedom and resupplied 10 battle groups, amphibious groups and dozens of coalition ships. Her shore tours have included assign- ment as deputy chief of staff for Manpower, institutional- izing manpower and personnel best practices across a force of 65,000 reservists.
Upon selection to flag rank she served as deputy chief of Navy Reserve for one year. In 2005, Pottenger established a new Navy command for over 40 combat logistics and special mission ships. She served for one year as the first commander Military Sealift Fleet Sup- port Command. In 2006, Pottenger became the first female admiral to command a strike group when she assumed com- mand of Amphibious Force 7th Fleet/ESG 7 at White Beach, Okinawa, aboard USS Harpers Ferry.
2013
Vice Adm. Nanette DeRenzi Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Navy
ice Adm. Nanette DeRenzi is the principal military legal counsel to the secretary of the Navy and chief of Naval Opera- tions, and serves as the Depart- ment of Defense representative for ocean policy affairs. As the JAG, she also leads the 2,300 attorneys, enlisted legalmen, and civilian employees of the worldwide Navy JAG Corps community.
V
DeRenzi graduated magna cum laude from Villanova Univer- sity in 1983. She was commissioned through the JAG Corps Student Program and, in 1986, graduated from Temple University School of Law. She began her career as a defense counsel and, later, as a trial counsel followed by assignments in appellate defense and civil litigation in Washington, D.C. She later earned a master of laws degree from the George Washington University School of Law.
Before her appointment to flag rank, she served as legisla- tive counsel for Environmental Programs in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs. In command, she served as command- ing officer, Naval Legal Service Office, North Central. Afloat, DeRenzi served as the fleet judge advocate to commander, U.S. 7th and 3rd Fleets, as well as staff judge advocate to commander, Carrier Group Seven.
WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2013 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68