Norfolk, Virginia-? In a break with history, the US Navy has named the first African American Woman to command a major Expeditionary Strike Group, according to a official US Navy Announcement.
Rear Admiral Michelle Howard is being assigned as the Commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 2, and will lead the ESG 2 that is currently based at the US Naval facilities at Norfolk, Virginia.
Rear Admiral Howard is a 1982 graduate of the US Naval Academy, and she has spend tours on the submarine tender Hunley, and the auxiliary aircraft landing training ship USS Lexington. She served aboard the ammunition ship Mount Hood as chief engineer, and was the first lieutenant on the ammunition ship Flint.
She also served more recently as the Executive officer on board the dock landing ship USS Tortuga. She took command in 1999 of the dock landing ship USS Rushmore, and thereby was the first African American woman to command a US Navy ship of the line.
She also served as Commander of Amphibious Squadron 7 from May 2004 until September 2005. Rear Admiral Howard has had a fine and proud US Naval career, and she brings over 25 years of active duty service experience to her new position.