Women Marine Milestones

1918 --Pvt. Opha Mae Johnson becomes the first woman to enlist in the Marine Corps Reserve.

1943 --Colonel Ruth Cheney Streeter first Director of Women Marine Reservists.

1943 --Captain Anne Lentz, first commissioned officer.

1943 --Private Lucille McClarren first enlisted woman.

1945 --first detachment of women marines arrives in Hawaii for duty.

1948 --Colonel. Katherine A. Towle first Director of Women Marines.

1961 --The first woman Marine is promoted to Sergeant Major (E-9).

1965 --The Marine Corps assigns the first woman to attachÚ duty. Later, she is the first woman Marine to serve under hostile fire.

1978 --Colonel Margaret A. Brewer was the first woman Marine general officer.

1979 --The Marine Corps assigns women as embassy guards.

1985 --Colonel Gail M. Reals, the first woman selected by a board of general officers to be advanced to Brigadier General.

1992 --Brigadier General Carol A. Mutter assumed command of the 3d Force Service Support Group, Okinawa, the first woman to command a Fleet Marine Force unit at the flag level.

1993 --2d Lieutenant Sarah Deal became the first woman Marine selected for Naval aviation training.

1993 --The Marine Corps opens pilot positions to women.

1994 --Brigadier General Mutter became the first woman major general in the Marine Corps and the senior woman on active duty in the armed services.

1995 --The first female Marine pilot pins on Naval flight wings.

1996 --Lieutenant General Mutter became the first woman Marine and the second woman in the history of the armed services to wear three stars.

2006--Brigadier General Angela Salinas is the commanding general of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. BGen Salinas assumed command on August 4, 2006, becoming the first woman to command the Recruit Depot.

2006--On August 2, 2006, Salinas became the first Hispanic female to become a United States Marine Corps general officer, and the sixth female in the Marine Corps to reach the rank of brigadier general.



Today --Women serve in 93 percent of all occupational fields and 62 percent of all billets. Women constitute 6.2 percent of the Corps end strength and are an integral part of the Marine Corps.