Michelle Janine Howard is a retired United States Navy officer who last served as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe while she concurrently served as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples. She previously served as the 38th Vice Chief of Naval Operations. She assumed her last assignment on June 7, 2016.Howard has achieved many historical firsts throughout her naval career. She was the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, USS Rushmore, and the first to achieve two- and three-star rank. In 2006, she was selected for the rank of rear admiral , making her the first admiral selected from the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1982 and the first female graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy selected for flag rank. On July 1, 2014, Howard became the first woman to become a U.S. Navy four-star admiral. As Vice Chief of Naval Operations, which she began that same day, she was the first African-American and the first woman to hold that post. Howard also became the first female four-star admiral to command operational forces, when she assumed command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Naval Forces Africa. Howard retired on 1 December 2017 after nearly 36 years of service in the United States Navy. Wikipedia
On military service, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2010. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-12-20/black-woman-named-to-a-top-u-s-navy-job-says-wimps-fail.html
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