U.S. Marines selects first Black woman to become brigadier general

James Mattis, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, announced Tuesday that Marine Corps Colonel Lorna M. Matlock will be the first Black woman to serve as brigadier general once she is confirmed. Currently, Matlock is the deputy director of operations, plans, policies and operations directorate at the Marines’ headquarters in Washington, D.C., reports ABC News. According to the Marine Corps Community Services, the Marine branch of the four military services is the smallest and has the fewest female service members. Women make up just 8 percent of the Marine Corps. However, that percentage is likely to go up, reports General Glenn Walters. Last year, the Marine Corps made history by welcoming its first female infantry officer. The woman, who wished to be unnamed, was the first female to finish training for a military occupational specialty (MOS), which was opened up to women in April 2016. It was just three years ago that the Pentagon historically made all combat jobs available to women.