Tammy Smith Tammy Smith ( born c . 1963 ) is a Brigadier General of the U . S . Army Reserve . Smith was nominated to the Brigadier General position on May 10 , 2012 , and was formally promoted to the position in a private ceremony at the Women ’ s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery . She currently serves as deputy chief in the Army Reserve Office of the Chief , and served for a year in the Afghanistan War . Career . Brigadier General Tammy Smith is a native of Oakland , Oregon , graduating from Oakland High School . She was active in many activities but attributes her interest in both the practice and study of leadership to her participation in the Future Farmers of America ( FFA ) . Her FFA advisor was a dynamic , enthusiastic high school agriculture teacher who taught his students both how to dream and how to set goals . He also taught his students to knuckle down and do the work required to achieve those goals . While in FFA , she participated in both prepared and extemporaneous public speaking competitions as well as maintaining various livestock projects . Smith delayed college for one year after graduating high school to serve as the State Reporter for the Oregon FFA Association . In this role she traveled the state as an FFA representative , conducting leadership camps and speaking at FFA chapters about leadership and goal setting . BG Smith was recipient of a 4 - year Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1986 . She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps . During her 26 year military career she has served as a Platoon Leader , 193d Support Battalion , Fort Clayton , Panama ; Logistic Support Detachment Commander , Task Force 36 , " Exercise Camino De La Paz " , Costa Rica ; Bravo Company Commander , 3 - 28th Infantry Battalion ( Basic Combat Training ) , Fort Jackson , SC ; Brigade S - 4 , 1st Brigade ( Basic Combat Training ) , Fort Jackson , SC ; Senior Supply Company Observer / Controller , Forward Support Battalion Team , Joint Readiness Training Center , Fort Polk , LA ; Delta Company Commander , 1 - 321st Infantry Battalion ( Basic Combat Training ) , Fort Jackson , SC ; S - 1 / S - 4 , Headquarters , Reserve Officer Training Brigade , Charlotte , NC ; S - 3 , 3 - 321st Infantry Battalion ( Basic Combat Training ) , Clemson , SC ; Mobilization Planner , 99th Regional Readiness Command , Oakdale , PA ; Secretary to the General Staff , 99th Regional Readiness Command , Coraopolis , PA ; Readiness Staff Officer , Department of the Army G - 3 ( DAMO - ODR ) , The Pentagon , Washington , D . C . ; Operations Officer , Office of the Chief , Army Reserve , Arlington , VA ; Chief , General Officer Management Office , Office of the Chief , Army Reserve , Arlington , VA ; Chief , Army Reserve Affairs , United States Forces - Afghanistan ( USFOR - A ) , Operation Enduring Freedom . Prior to assignment as the Director , she served again as Chief , General Officer Management Office and was dual - hatted as Director , Senior Leader Development Office for the Army Reserve . Brig . Gen . Smith currently serves as Director of the Army Reserve Human Capital for the United States Army Reserve . She is responsible for integrating strategic human resources policy with operational requirements to improve and sustain long - term personnel readiness across the United States Army Reserve . The Army Reserve maintains an end - strength of 205 , 000 Soldiers ; this high - quality all - volunteer Army Reserve directly supports the Army and Joint Force missions . Brig . Gen . Smith holds a Doctor of Management degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society . Her research focus was executive leadership and senior leader transitions into new organizations . She holds a Masters of Arts in Management from Webster University . She also holds a Masters in Strategic Studies as a graduate of the United States Army War College . While proud to be identified as a Citizen - Soldier , the majority of Brig . Gen . Smith ’ s work history prior to assignment as Director , Human Capital Core Enterprise has been as an Active Component officer and member of the Active / Guard and Reserve Program . She and her spouse Tracey Hepner are active in volunteer military family support events in the Washington , D . C . and Northern Virginia area . Awards and accolades . BG Smith ’ s awards and decorations include : Legion of Merit Medal , Bronze Star Medal , Meritorious Service Medals ( two oak leaf cluster s ) , Army Commendation Medal s ( four oak leaf clusters ) , Afghanistan Campaign Medal , Combat Action Badge , Senior Parachutist Badge , Parachute Rigger Badge , and the Army Staff Identification Badge . Personal background . BG Smith married Tracey Hepner on March 31 , 2012 , in a ceremony at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington , D . C . The ceremony was officiated by a military chaplain . The District of Columbia began recognizing same - sex marriage s in 2010 , but because BG Smith was in the Army she could not enter into a marriage until after " Don ’ t Ask , Don ’ t Tell " ( DADT ) was repealed . She is the first openly - gay U . S . flag officer to " come out " while serving since the repeal of DADT . Smith ’ s partner , Tracey Hepner , co - founded the Military Partners and Families Coalition , a National Military family organization that provides support , education , resources and advocacy for lesbian , gay bisexual and transgender military partners and their families . On February 11 , 2013 , Hepner was announced as a personal guest of First Lady Michelle Obama for the 2013 State of the Union address .