Glass Ceiling Gets a Little Higher
October 7, 2016 7:44 AM   Subscribe

Thirty-five years ago, Lori Robinson decided to join the United States Air Force for a few years just to see what would happen (her father being a fighter pilot may have influenced her decision somewhat). Things kept happening, and earlier this year, General Robinson became the highest-ranking woman in U.S. military history upon her appointment as commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM.

Robinson is not the first American female four-star officer (that was General Ann Dunwoody), but as a combatant commander, she is considered to "outrank" other four-star generals, except members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
posted by Etrigan (8 comments total) 16 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'm not that old, but the idea that a 4 star's dad fought in Vietnam was a little disconcerting to me.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:59 AM on October 7, 2016 [8 favorites]


It's a bit more odd than that; The direct authority level granted to 4-star rank flows from JCS > CCMD > Other, but only when both individuals are acting in the official capacity of their positions, or when designating the chain of succession. In all other aspects, seniority based on date of rank is considered first. Because GEN Dunwoody is retired, they will never be in a conflicting position relative to their rank, so technically Dunwoody is the higher rank from a protocol perspective. Still, in the sense that a CCMD has never had a female Commander before now, more power to her!

Relative authority of rank certainly gets confusing, though, and I completely understand that -- I've had to explain more than once to people that the Headquarters Company Commander at my unit has to salute me and call me Sir (since my rank is above their rank), but that he/she has the authority to order me to take a PT test, or a drug test, or a few other administrative actions based on their position. It takes some getting used to, but eventually it starts to feel pretty natural.
posted by mystyk at 8:03 AM on October 7, 2016 [11 favorites]


i saw NORAD and my first thought was "she's in charge of War Games now!"
posted by hydropsyche at 8:21 AM on October 7, 2016 [5 favorites]


i saw NORAD and my first thought was "she's in charge of War Games now!"

Job duties include pissing on a spark plug, if she thought it'd do any good.
posted by MrGuilt at 8:28 AM on October 7, 2016 [1 favorite]


I'm not that old, but the idea that a 4 star's dad fought in Vietnam was a little disconcerting to me.

Nope, you're not old. I'm old. That factoid doesn't phase me one bit.

My lawn, you're standing on it.
posted by humboldt32 at 8:45 AM on October 7, 2016 [4 favorites]


I'm not that old, but the idea that a 4 star's dad fought in Vietnam was a little disconcerting to me. because you think she's young? or because you think she's old?

My dad was old enough to fight in Vietnam, but miraculously avoided it. I'm 38 which seems young for a 4 star to me, but she probably is WAY more ambitious than I am.
posted by Dr. Twist at 11:24 AM on October 7, 2016


I'm not that old, but the idea that a 4 star's dad fought in Vietnam was a little disconcerting to me.

Surprising, but it makes sense. General Robinson has served over 35 years, joining after college. Let's say that was 22, making her mid-to-late fifties today, and at pretty much at the top of her field. Her father is 84, meaning he was between 32 and 43 during the war (1964 (Gulf of Tonkin incident) to 1975 (fall of Saigon)), with the General Robinson born just prior to the war.

I'm a Gen-Xer with a soon-to-be twelve-year-old. Some of the mental math I do includes:

me:World War II::Little Miss Guilt:Vietnam

Put another way: we old!
posted by MrGuilt at 1:47 PM on October 7, 2016 [1 favorite]


Go Lori!!!!
posted by bologna on wry at 3:23 PM on October 7, 2016


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