Michelle J. Howard

Michelle Janine Howard (born April 30, 1960) is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who last served as the commander of the United States Naval Forces Europe, United States Naval Forces Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples. She previously was the 38th Vice Chief of Naval Operations. She assumed her last assignment on 7 June 2016.

Howard achieved many historical firsts throughout her naval career. She was the first African-American woman to command a United States Navy ship, , 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 United States Naval Academy class of 1982 and the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy selected for flag rank. On 1 July 2014, Howard was appointed Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the second highest-ranking officer in the Navy.

Upon her swearing in, Howard became the highest-ranking woman (until the swearing in of Lisa Franchetti) and first female four-star admiral in United States Naval history. Howard also became the first female four-star admiral to command operational forces, when she assumed command of United States Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa. Howard retired on 1 December 2017, after nearly 36 years of service in the United States Navy.

In 2021, Howard was appointed to The Naming Commission, a congressional commission created to rename U.S. military assets and locations with names associated with the Confederate States of America (CSA), and was sworn in as its chair in March.

Early life and education Howard was born at March Air Force Base in California, the daughter of United States Air Force master sergeant Nick Howard, and his wife, Phillipa. Howard is a 1978 graduate of Gateway High School in Aurora, Colorado. While serving on board USS Lexington, she received the Secretary of the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins award in May 1987. Howard commanded Amphibious Squadron 7 from May 2004 to September 2005. Deploying with Expeditionary Strike Group 5, operations included tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia and maritime security operations in the North Persian Gulf.

Howard's shore assignments include: Course Coordinator/Instructor for the Steam Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) course; Action Officer and Navy's liaison to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Military Services (DACOWITS) in the Bureau of Personnel; Action Officer J-3, Global Operations, Readiness on the Joint Staff from 2001 to 2003; Executive Assistant to the Joint Staff Director of Operations from February 2003 to February 2004; and Deputy Director N3 on the OPNAV Staff from December 2005 to July 2006.

Howard was the deputy director, Expeditionary Warfare Division, OPNAV staff from July 2006 to December 2006, and senior military assistant to the secretary of the Navy January 2007 – January 2009. She was chief of staff to the director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff from August 2010 until July 2012.

Howard was promoted to rear admiral (lower half), effective September 1, 2007 and to rear admiral, effective August 1, 2010. She was promoted to vice admiral on August 24, 2012.

On July 1, 2014, Howard was promoted to admiral. She became the 38th Vice Chief of Naval Operations the same day.

Dates of ranks + Promotions Rank !! Date

July 1, 2014 IBM announced that it appointed Howard to its board, effective March 1, 2019.

In November 2020, Howard was named a volunteer member of the Joe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team to support transition efforts related to the Defense Department. On February 12, 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin appointed Howard as one of four Departmental representatives to the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America. She was sworn in as the commission's chair on March 2, 2021. and the 2011 USO Military Woman of the Year.

On February 1, 2013, Howard was honored with the "Chairman's Award" at the 44th NAACP Image Awards.

She is an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority