Unsung Hero: Admiral Michelle J. Howard
Admiral Michelle J. Howard, United States Navy, (Ret.)
Admiral Michelle J. Howard is a trailblazer. She holds many “firsts” in United States Navy and Armed Forces history, but her story begins on an Air Force Base.
Admiral Howard was born on March Air Force Base in California in 1960. She’s the daughter of a retired master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and, like most military brats, moved around while growing up. She attended high school in Aurora, Colorado where she ran track and played basketball.
Admiral Howard was accepted into the United States Naval Academy in 1978 where she was 1 of only 7 Black women in the school’s class of 1,363 students.
After graduating from the Naval Academy, Admiral Howard served in a variety of roles in the Navy. She served as a communications officer on the USS Hunley, as the first lieutenant on the USS Lexington, and as executive officer of the USS Tortuga and the USS Mount Hood.
On March 12, 1999, Howard assumed command of the USS Rushmore and became the first African American woman to command a ship in the Navy.
But Howard’s firsts don’t stop there.
In 2006, Howard was selected for the rank of rear admiral and became the first admiral selected from the Naval Academy’s 1982 class. This promotion also made her the first female graduate of the Naval Academy selected for flag rank. Howard continued to achieve many firsts as she rose through the ranks. She was the first Black woman to achieve the rank of two- and three-star admiral.
On July 1, 2014, Howard was appointed Vice Chief of Naval Operations and became the second-highest ranking officer in the Navy. Upon this promotion, she became the highest-ranking woman and first female four-star admiral in Navy history. Howard also became the first four-star admiral to command the United States Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa.
Howard retired on December 1, 2017 after nearly 36 years of service.
Howard’s legacy is an inspiration to anyone who refuses to let anything stop them from achieving their goals. She is a role model and trailblazer who exemplifies the standard for excellence in the Navy and beyond.
