Cathay Williams

Cathay Williams (1842 – 1892), a Buffalo soldier, was the first documented female to serve (enlisted as a male, Williams Cathay) in the U.S. Army in 1866. She became the first and the only known female Buffalo Soldier.

Brigadier General Hazel Winifred Johnson-Brown

Brigadier General Hazel Winifred Johnson-Brown (1927- 2011), an army officer, nurse, and educator was the first female General in the U.S. Army when she was promoted in 1979.

Admiral Lillian E. Fishburne

Admiral Lillian E. Fishburne ( b Marcy 25, 1949-), a Navy Officer, was the first to become a Rear Admiral in the United States, an appointment made by President Bill Clinton on February 01, 1998.

Michelle J. Howard

Michelle J. Howard (April 30, 1960), a naval admiral, was the first to become a four-star admiral in 2014.