Claudia Kennedy

Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy (USA ret.) is the first woman to achieve the rank of three-star general in the United States Army, taking her from the Women’s Army Corps in the late 1960s to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Army Intelligence from 1997 to 2000. Following in her father’s footsteps, General Kennedy joined the Army in 1968. In 1969, she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. During her career, she commanded a company, an intelligence battalion, a recruiting battalion and an intelligence brigade. As a general officer, she served as the senior intelligence officer for the U.S. Forces Command, Deputy Commanding General for the Army Intelligence Center and School. She has received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal and four Legions of Merits, which are awarded for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.” Claudia Kennedy has been named to a list of “Best Women Role Models”, and Vanity Fair’s “Most Influential”. She also was named to the Ladies Home Journal’s “100 Most Important Women” list. General Kennedy has been honored for leadership and lifetime achievement by such organizations as Business and Professional Women (USA), Girl Scout Council of Hawaii, Women Executives and State Government, National Women’s Law Center, DAR , the National Center for Women and Policy, and the Volunteers of America. General Kennedy has a B.A. degree in philosophy from Rhodes College. She works now to help children by chairing First Star, a nonprofit corporation. Her book, Generally Speaking, was published in September 2001. She has appeared as a military consultant for NBC and CNN and widely elsewhere as a guest.