Share

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.

Error message details.

Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.

Senate Confirms Marine Corps' First Black, Female Two-Star General


A group of marines in uniform standing in a line.


The U.S. Senate confirmed Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock to the rank of two-star general in December after President Joe Biden nominated her earlier that month. A two-star general typically commands a division-sized unit of 10,000 to 15,000 Marines.Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lorna Mahlock

Mahlock, 54, becomes the highest-ranking Black, female officer in the Marine Corps' history.

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Mahlock enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1985. In 2018, she became the first Black, female brigadier general. She currently serves as the deputy director of cybersecurity for combat support with the National Security Agency (NSA).

Rob Joyce, the NSA's director of cybersecurity, said in a tweet after Mahlock's confirmation that she is "an awesome leader" and a "great partner."

According to the Department of Defense, just 9 percent of Marines are women and just three women in the branch's history have picked up the rank of lieutenant general. But the Marine Corps' highest-ranking officer, Gen. David Berger, unveiled in 2021 plans to increase diversity among the service.

SHRM Online gathered additional news on the topic.

Black Female Marine General Is Latest in Year of Firsts for Military Women

Mahlock's confirmation caps off a notable year as the higher reaches of the services become more open and diverse. In August, Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt became the first female commanding officer to complete the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier. And in July, Lt. Amanda Lee became the first female jet pilot to join the historic demonstration squadron "The Blue Angels."

(Yahoo! News)

Defense Bill Seeks ROTC Diversity Numbers

A provision in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress requires the Department of Defense to collect demographic data on Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs preparing students to be commissioned officers. ROTC scholarships expand access for prospective officer recruits from a variety of backgrounds by offering a funded pathway to bachelor's degree attainment and an officer career.

(Axios)

How to Help Women Lead the Workplace Authentically

Sucheta Misra, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at consulting company North Highland in Denver, outlined barriers women face in advancing their careers and why women should be trusted to lead in the ways that are most authentic to them.

(SHRM Online)

CEO of VetJobs.Org Explains Why Companies Should Hire Veterans

Retired Rear Adm. Dan Kloeppel, founder and CEO of jobs boards VetJobs.org and MilitarySpouseJobs.org, explains the difficult transition veterans make when entering the private sector and how the military prepares them for success outside of the services.

(SHRM Online)


Advertisement

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.

Advertisement