Florida Tech Grad Is First Female Nominated for Four-star General

MELBOURNE, FLA.—A 33-year veteran of the U.S. military, Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody, has become the first woman to be nominated to the highest rank in the U.S. Army, four-star general.

In 1987 Lt. Gen. Dunwoody earned a master’s degree in logistics management from Florida Institute of Technology’s extended studies site in Fort Lee, Va.

“This is an historic occasion for the Department of Defense and I am proud to nominate Lt. Gen. Ann Dunwoody for a fourth star,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a statement. Dunwoody’s nomination is awaiting approval by the U.S. Senate. She would take over as commander of Army Materiel Command (AMC), a branch of the army that provides logistics support to tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers stationed around the world.

Dunwoody was named deputy commanding general of Materiel Command earlier in June, following the retirement of Lt. Gen. William Mortensen.

“We are extremely pleased and proud that this first-time honor is going to one of our alumni,” said Clifford Bragdon, Florida Tech dean of University College.

There are about 10 four-star generals in the army in a total force of 1,077,500 soldiers, according to Army spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Anne Edgecomb. About 16 percent of U.S. soldiers and about five percent of U.S. Army generals are women, according to army statistics.