Michelle J. Howard
| Michelle J. Howard | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Birth name | Michelle Janine Howard |
| Born |
April 30, 1960 March Air Reserve Base, California, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States |
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1982–present |
| Rank |
 Admiral
|
| Commands held |
U.S. Naval Forces Europe U.S. Naval Forces Africa Allied Joint Force Command Naples Vice Chief of Naval Operations Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5) USS Rushmore Amphibious Squadron 7 Expeditionary Strike Group Two Task Force Two Zero |
| Battles/wars | Persian Gulf War |
| Awards |
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (3) Meritorious Service Medal Navy Commendation Medal (4) Navy Achievement Medal |
| Spouse(s) | Wayne Cowles |
Michelle Janine Howard (born April 30, 1960) is a United States Navy admiral who currently serves as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe while she concurrently serves 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 current 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, the USS Rushmore, and the first to achieve two- and three-star rank. In 2006, she was selected for the rank of rear admiral (lower half), 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 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 was born in March Air Reserve Base, California, U.S., the daughter of former U.S. Air Force master sergeant, Nick Howard, and his British wife, Phillipa. She is a 1978 graduate of Gateway High School in Aurora, Colorado. She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1982 and from the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College in 1998 with a Masters in Military Arts and Sciences.
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