Carol M . Pottenger Vice Admiral Carol M . Pottenger is a woman of many firsts in the U . S . Navy . She was the first female full time support officer to be selected for Admiral ; the first female Admiral to command a major combat organization , Amphibious Force 7th Fleet / Expeditionary Strike Group Seven , encompassing the amphibious forces assigned to the western Pacific ; and the first female Admiral to lead a combatant force " type command " , Navy Expeditionary Combat Command , charged with the manning , training and equipping of over 40 , 000 expeditionary Sailors in preparation for combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan , as well as global security assistance operations . She is currently the deputy chief of staff for capability and development at Supreme Allied Commander Transformation , Norfolk , Virginia , the first female officer to hold this position . Background . Carol M . Pottenger , born in 1955 , is a native of Chicago , Illinois , and grew up in Saint Petersburg , Florida . She attended Purdue University , where she participated in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program . She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1977 and received her commission as an Ensign in the U . S . Navy . During her career , Pottenger has participated in executive development programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , National Defense University , and the Naval Postgraduate School . In honor of her career of distinguished accomplishments , Purdue University awarded her a Doctor of Philosophy in social sciences ( honoris causa ) in 2007 . Naval career . Following her commissioning in 1977 , Carol M . Pottenger was one of the first women selected for sea duty . Pottenger reported aboard USS " Yosemite " ( AD - 19 ) as engineering division officer and completed a Mediterranean deployment . Subsequent sea tours included assignment as operations officer aboard USS " Yellowstone " ( AD - 41 ) and executive officer aboard USS " Kiska " ( AE - 35 ) . Pottenger assumed command of USS " Shasta " ( AE - 33 ) in 1996 , completing several deployments to the western Pacific , Arabian Sea , and the Persian Gulf in support of the United States Fifth Fleet and United States Seventh Fleet commanders . She took command of USS " Bridge " ( AOE - 10 ) in 2001 , and during an extended deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom , provided at - sea logistics support to ten aircraft carrier battle groups , amphibious groups and dozens of coalition ships . As a result of her inspired leadership , USS " Bridge " ( AOE - 10 ) was awarded the Battle E and the 2002 Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy . Ashore , Pottenger has been assigned to commander , Service Group 2 as staff communications officer ; the United States Naval Academy as the 25th company officer ; commanding officer of two Navy Operational Support Centers in Mare Island , and San Diego , California . She also served as the Naval Surface Reserve Force deputy chief of staff for manpower , where she institutionalized manpower and personnel best practices across a force of 65 , 000 Reservists . During her tours in the Pentagon , Pottenger served as executive assistant for director , Surface Warfare ( OPNAV N86 ) ; executive assistant to deputy chief of naval operations ( Resources , Requirements & Assessments ) ( OPNAV N8 ) ; and executive assistant to vice chief of naval operations . Following her selection to flag rank , she was assigned as the deputy chief of Navy Reserve . In this role , she served as the primary advisor to the commander of a force encompassing over 80 , 000 Sailors and executing an annual appropriation exceeding $ 1 billion . In November 2005 , Pottenger was assigned to the Military Sealift Command . There she established a new Navy command , Military Sealift Fleet Support Command and served as the type commander for over 40 combat logistics and special mission ships that supported naval , joint , and coalition forces on a global scale . As commander , Pottenger provided executive leadership , management , and control of $ 2 billion in annual funding and over 5400 highly - trained , cross - functional personnel , comprising a mix of civilian mariners , professional engineers , and human resources and training staff . In November 2006 , Pottenger became the first female Admiral to command a strike group when she assumed command of Amphibious Force 7th Fleet / Expeditionary Strike Group Seven at White Beach , Okinawa , aboard USS " Harpers Ferry " ( LSD - 49 ) . Pottenger led , prepared , and deployed amphibious and expeditionary naval forces consisting of eight ships and over 6000 Sailors through over 80 distinct , strategic engagements across the western Pacific area of operations in support of the United States Seventh Fleet commander . Additionally , Pottenger served as a formal spokesperson and diplomatic representative during U . S . efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in several Asian countries . In September 2008 , Pottenger became the third commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command , charged with the mission of preparing and deploying expeditionary forces to conduct combat and security assistance missions to all military theaters globally . Pottenger served as the enterprise director for the Navy ' s expeditionary forces consisting of 40 , 000 Sailors in eight distinct warfare disciplines : logistics , explosive ordnance disposal , diving and salvage , maritime security , riverine , maritime civil affairs , expeditionary training , and intelligence . Pottenger provided full P & L accountability of $ 3 billion in annual expenditures , while ensuring visibility , standardization , procurement efficiency , maintenance management , and continuous force modernization . In 2010 , Pottenger assumed responsibilities as deputy chief of staff for capability and development at NATO Headquarters , Supreme Allied Commander Transformation , Norfolk , Virginia , the first female officer to hold this position . In this capacity , Pottenger facilitates efforts to guide , influence and support NATO and its 28 allied nations and partners in military capability transformation . She leads a diverse international staff of 300 , spanning North America and Europe , serving as a catalyst in NATO planning , while administering an $ 40 million enterprise funding budget . Pottenger provides executive leadership , guidance , and advocacy in all processes and initiatives to determine military requirements and shortfalls , develop concepts , and engineer systems . Pottenger was appointed by the NATO Secretary General to lead a task force to develop multinational capability approaches for the Alliance , which in six months yielded 200 potential projects to NATO nations ' defense ministers , facilitating a strategic shift in investment mindsets of allied capitols . Awards and decorations . In March 2013 , Pottenger was awarded the Order of St . George by the Bulgarian Minister of Defense in recognition of her exceptional service to NATO . Her U . S . military awards include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit ( 6 ) , Meritorious Service Medal ( 3 ) , Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal , Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal , and other personal , campaign , and service awards . See also . Women in the United States Navy