Lt. General Claudia Kennedy

Lt. General Claudia J. Kennedy, is the first and only woman to ever receive this flag rank in the United States Army.General Claudia was born in Frankfurt, Germany. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Southwestern at Memphis and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in June 1969 through the Women's Army Corps. Her military education includes completion of the Women's Army Corps Officer Basic Course, Military intelligence Officer Advanced Course, the Junior Officer Cryptologic Career Program at the national Security Agency, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Army War College. She was confirmed by the Senate for promotion to Lieutenant General and Assigned to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for intelligence as of May 21, 1997. Her promotion and swearing-in ceremony was June 17, 1997.

General Kennedy has held a variety of command and staff positions throughout her career. Key assignments include: Commander, 3d Operations Battalion, U.S. Army Field Station Augsburg, Germany; Commander, San Antonio Recruiting Battalion, U.S. Army Recruiting Command; and Commander, 703d Military intelligence Brigade, Field Station Kunia, Hawaii.

She has served as Operations Officer, U.S. Army Field Station Augsburg, U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command; Staff Officer, Directorate of Training, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Washington, DC; the Director of Intelligence, G2, Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Georgia, as Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca/Assistant Commandant, U.S. Army Intelligence School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence at Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, DC.

During her career, General Kennedy has received awards and decorations to include the Legion of Merit (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters) and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

Congratulations, well done!

Women's International Center presents the 1998 Living Legacy Patriot Award to an extraordinary leader of the United States Army, as she represents all exceptional women of the U. S. Army.