Army Names First Female 4-Star General

A 33-year Army veteran today became the first woman in US history to be named a four-star general, CNN reports. Ann Dunwoody, 55, will oversee Army Materiel Command, which outfits and equips soldiers. "The Army nurtured me and mentored me, and today the Army offers me the chance to return the favor," she said.

"There is no one more suprised than I," said Dunwoody, who initially planned on a two-year Army stint, then a career as a gym teacher. Instead, "she is recognized as one of the foremost military logisticians in her generation," said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. She will oversee 133,000 personnel around the world.