Michelle Howard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Howard
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| Born | April 30, 1960 March Air Force Base, California, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1982–2017 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands held | Vice Chief of Naval Operations United States Naval Forces Europe - Naval Forces Africa Allied Joint Force Command Naples Combined Task Force 151 Expeditionary Strike Group Two Amphibious Squadron 7 Task Force Two Zero USS Rushmore |
| Battles/wars | Gulf War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal 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 retired four-star admiral from the United States Navy. She made history many times during her career. She was the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship. She was also the first woman to become a four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy.
Admiral Howard held very important leadership roles. She was the commander of U.S. Naval Forces in Europe and Africa. She also served as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. This is the second-highest position in the entire Navy. She retired in 2017 after nearly 36 years of service.
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Early Life and Education
Michelle Howard was born at March Air Reserve Base in California. Her father was a master sergeant in the United States Air Force. She graduated from Gateway High School in Colorado in 1978.
She then attended the United States Naval Academy. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree there in 1982. Later, she also earned a Master of Military Art and Science degree in 1998.
Admiral Howard's career was full of important "firsts." She was the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy warship. This happened when she took command of the USS Rushmore in 1999. She was also the first African-American woman to reach two-star and three-star admiral ranks.
In 2006, she became the first female graduate of the Naval Academy to become an admiral. On July 1, 2014, she was promoted to four-star admiral. This made her the first woman in U.S. Naval history to reach this high rank. She was also the first female four-star admiral to lead active forces.
Early Sea Missions
Howard's first assignments at sea were on the USS Hunley and USS Lexington. While on the USS Lexington, she received an award for outstanding leadership. This was the Secretary of the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins award.
In 1990, she became the Chief Engineer on the USS Mount Hood. She served during the Gulf War, which included Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. She later served on the USS Flint and USS Tortuga. On the USS Tortuga, she helped with peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia. The ship also went on a training cruise to West Africa.
_2,_visits_with_junior_enlisted_sailors_during_a_visit_to_the_amphibious_dock_landing_ship_USS_Fort_McHenry_(LSD-43).jpg)
After commanding the USS Rushmore, Howard led Amphibious Squadron 7. During this time, her group helped with tsunami relief in Indonesia. They also worked on maritime security in the North Persian Gulf.
In 2009, she took command of Expeditionary Strike Group 2. She also led Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151). This group worked to stop piracy in the Indian Ocean. She played a key role in the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips. His kidnapping by Somali pirates later became a movie.
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Promotions to Admiral
Michelle Howard was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) in 2007. She became a full rear admiral in 2010. In 2012, she was promoted to vice admiral. Finally, on July 1, 2014, she became a four-star admiral. This was a historic moment for the U.S. Navy.
After retiring from the Navy in 2017, Admiral Howard continued to serve. She became a visiting professor at George Washington University. There, she taught about cybersecurity and international policy. In 2019, she joined the board of directors for IBM, a major technology company.
In 2020, she was part of the team that helped President Joe Biden's administration get started. In 2021, she was chosen to lead The Naming Commission. This special group was created by Congress. Its job is to find and suggest new names for U.S. military places and items. These are places that were named after people linked to the Confederate States of America.
Awards and Honors
Admiral Howard has received many awards for her service and leadership. These include:
- The Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- The Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- The Defense Superior Service Medal
- The Legion of Merit
She also received special recognition outside of the military. In 2008, she won the Women of Color Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Career Achievement Award. In 2013, she received the "Chairman's Award" at the NAACP Image Awards.
She has also received honorary degrees from several universities. These degrees recognize her many years of service and her contributions to women in the military.
See also
- List of female United States military generals and flag officers
Images for kids
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Howard addressing the crew of USS Wasp in December 2009
