Roberta L . Hazard Retired Rear Admiral Roberta L . Hazard ( born November 8 , 1934 ) was the third female line officer to be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy , and at the time , the highest - ranking woman in the U . S . military . She was the first woman to command a United States Naval Training Command . Biography . Admiral Hazard , a native of Boston , Massachusetts and a Boston College graduate , taught history at the senior high school level prior to entering the United States Navy in 1960 . Naval career . Hazard attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned an Ensign in December 1960 . She was assigned as division officer and researcher - writer within the Naval History Division , Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . She served in that capacity until December 1962 , receiving a promotion to Lieutenant ( jg ) in June of that year . Hazard next reported as the education , training , and leadership officer at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida . Leaving Jacksonville in January 1965 , she joined the Woman Officer Candidate School in Newport , Rhode Island as an instructor and academic department head . Promoted to Lieutenant that July , Hazard remained in Newport until November 1967 , when she departed for a two - year tour as Protocol Officer in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . In November 1969 , she reported to the U . S . Naval Academy as manager of a computer - assisted instruction project . Advanced to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in August 1970 , her service at the Academy continued until January 1971 . From 1971 to 1974 , she again served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations , first as Special Assistant and Secretary . She became Special Project / Action Officer within the Middle East , African Section , Politico - Military Affairs Division ( OP - 61 ) in August 1973 and Assistant Secretary for Joint Chiefs of Staff Matters ( OP - 004 ) as of November 1973 . For the final six months of her tour , from June to December 1974 , Hazard was Special Assistant to the Former Chief of Naval Operations . She was next assigned as special assistant to the Commander in Chief , Allied Forces Southern Europe in Naples , Italy , serving as speech writer and political - military advisor . Promoted to Commander in July 1976 , she graduated from the National War College two years later and was assigned to the Military Personnel and Training Division , Bureau of Personnel as head of the women ' s program section . Beginning in 1980 , she held three successive command tours . The first was Naval Technical Training Center , Treasure Island , California . While in that assignment , Hazard was advanced to the rank of Captain . Her next assignment , from December 1982 until July 1985 , was commanding officer of Naval Administrative Command , at San Diego Naval Training Center . Following selection to flag rank in December 1984 , she commanded the Navy ' s largest training facility , Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois , from July 1985 through August 1987 . Hazard became the Director for Manpower and Personnel , Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in August 1987 . She was selected for promotion to Rear Admiral ( upper half ) on May 18 , 1988 , the first woman to be board selected for that grade . On August 31 , 1988 , she assumed the duties as Director , Human Resources Management and Director , Personnel Excellence Program , Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . Her final tour , as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel , Personal Readiness and Community Support , extended from August 1989 through September 1992 . In 1990 and 1991 she also chaired the NATO Committee on Women in the Armed Forces . Education . Roberta Hazard graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with majors in history and education . She also received a master ' s degree in history from Boston College . She graduated from the National War College in 1978 . Awards and decorations . Her decorations include the Legion of Merit ( with gold star in lieu of second award ) , the Meritorious Service Medal ( with two gold stars in lieu of a subsequent award ) , the Navy Commendation Medal ( with one gold star in lieu of a second award ) , the Navy Achievement Medal , and the National Defense Service Medal . See also . Women in the United States Navy