Carol Mutter Carol A . Mutter ( born December 17 , 1945 ) is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general . She is the first woman in the history of the United States Armed Forces to be appointed to a three - star grade . She retired from the Marine Corps on January 1 , 1999 . Her last active duty assignment was as Deputy Chief of Staff , Manpower and Reserve Affairs ( DC / S , M & RA ) at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington , D . C . Marine Corps career . Carol Mutter was born on December 17 , 1945 in Greeley , Colorado . In 1967 she was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps upon graduation from the University of Northern Colorado . In addition to holding a B . A . degree in Mathematics Education and an honorary doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado , General Mutter has an M . A . degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College at Newport , Rhode Island and both an M . S . and an honorary doctorate degree from Salve Regina University , also in Newport . After completing the Woman Officer Basic Course in 1967 at Marine Corps Base Quantico , she was assigned to data processing installations at Quantico , VA and at Camp Pendleton , CA . In 1971 , she returned to Quantico as a platoon commander and instructor for women officer candidates and basic course lieutenants ; she departed this tour as a Captain . During 1973 - 1984 , she progressed to the rank of lieutenant colonel while serving as Project Officer for Marine Air Command and Control Systems at Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity at Camp Pendleton , CA ; Financial Management Officer at the Development Center , Quantico , Virginia ; Assistant Chief of Staff , Comptroller , 1st Marine Aircraft Wing , Okinawa , Japan ; and Deputy Comptroller at Headquarters , Fleet Marine Force , Atlantic in Norfolk , Virginia . In 1985 , capitalizing on her expertise in both data processing and financial management , she was assigned as the Deputy Program Manager , and subsequently Program Manager , for the development of new Marine Corps automated pay and personnel systems for active duty , retired , and reserve Marines . In July 1988 , as a colonel , she joined the United States Space Command , J - 3 ( Operations ) Directorate in Colorado Springs becoming the first woman to gain qualification as a Space Director . After initially serving as a Command Center Crew Commander / Space Director she became the Division Chief responsible for the operation of the Space Command Commander in Chief ' s Command Center . August 1990 brought a transfer to III Marine Expeditionary Force ( MEF ) on Okinawa , Japan and duty as the Assistant Chief of Staff , Comptroller for both III MEF and 3rd Marine Division . In June 1991 , she returned to Quantico as a brigadier general to serve as the Deputy Commanding General , Marine Corps Systems Command and Program Manager for Command and Control Systems . In June 1992 , she again transferred to Okinawa , this time as the first woman of general / flag officer rank to command a major deployable tactical command , the 3d Force Service Support Group , III MEF , U . S . Marine Forces Pacific . In June 1994 , she became the first woman in the Marine Corps to be promoted to the grade of major general and served as Commander , Marine Corps Systems Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico until August 1996 . On September 1 , 1996 , Mutter was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed the duties as DC / S M & RA . Lieutenant General Mutter retired in 1999 . General Mutter also attended the Amphibious Warfare School and the Marine Corps Command and Staff College , both at Quantico , Virginia . Awards and honors . Her medals and decorations include :