Congratulations Ann Dunwoody

This is shaping up to be a great year of firsts! From KansasCity.Com comes this report of the first female 4-star general. Let's keep knocking down the barriers. Here is just a snippet but please go to KansasCity.com for the complete report by clicking this link

Ann Dunwoody becomes first female 4-star general
By NANCY A. YOUSSEF
McClatchy Newspapers
The U.S. Army promoted the first female to four-star general in its history Friday in an emotion-laden ceremony that sparked hopes among women that the role for female troops will continue to expand.

Gen. Ann Dunwoody's elevation to the pinnacle of the officer corps was the culmination of a protracted fight by women. The military named its first female one-star in 1970, the first two-star in 1978 and the first three-star in 1996.

Women currently are not allowed to serve in ground combat, limiting their command options and roles in wartime. Instead, women have risen through the military ranks through career paths like nursing, intelligence and logistics.

Dunwoody's standing-room-only ceremony in the Pentagon auditorium drew the military's highest ranked officers. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the Army chief of staff, presided, and three-star generals had to stand in the back because all the seats were taken.

After Dunwoody's husband, Ret. Air Force Col. Craig Brotchie, and Casey pinned four stars on each shoulder of her uniform, women soldiers throughout the crowd cheered, some as they wiped tears of joy.

Dunwoody, 55, said she was humbled and overwhelmed by the distinction