J’can becomes first black female 2-star gen in US Marine Corps
Published:Tuesday | December 27, 2022 | 12:58 AMLester Hinds/Gleaner Writer
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Jamaica-born Lorna Mahlock has made history by becoming the first black woman commanding as a two-star general in the United States Marine Corps. Brigadier General Mahlock was nominated for promotion to major general earlier this month by US...
Jamaica-born Lorna Mahlock has made history by becoming the first black woman commanding as a two-star general in the United States Marine Corps.
Brigadier General Mahlock was nominated for promotion to major general earlier this month by US President Joe Biden, and the Senate confirmed her nomination two Thursdays ago.
Mahlock, who was born in Kingston, migrated to the United States in 1985 at age 17 years, settling in Brooklyn with her family,
She enlisted in the Marines within months of arriving in the North American country.
Mahlock, 54, is the National Security Agency’s deputy director of cybersecurity for combat support and is based at Fort Meade, Maryland.
Throughout her career, she has served in many posts, including in the US European Command in Germany, the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Japan, and Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 38 in Southern California.
She has commanded and led at various levels globally and in combat, including as air traffic control detachment commander; director of the Marine Corps Instructional Management School; air control officer, G3 Future Operations 1st Marine Aircraft Wing; company commander – Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom 1; operations and executive officer – Operation Iraqi Freedom 2; and director – Marine Air Command and Control System Experimental.
Master’s in national security
Mahlock has a master’s degree in adult and higher education from the University of Oklahoma at Norman, a master’s in national security and strategic studies with distinction from the Naval War College; a master’s in strategic studies from the United States Army War College; and a master’s certificate in information operations from the Naval Postgraduate School. She also is a graduate of the United Kingdom Defence College Higher Command and Staff source, according to the US Military’s website.
She has also racked up several awards in her sterling career, including Legion of Merit; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Joint Service Achievement Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Good Conduct Medal.
“I went to an all-girls Catholic school in the Caribbean, and then coming to the Jesuit construct was very helpful to me,” Mahlock said in an interview with her alma mater, Marquette University. “The professors at the NROTC (Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps) unit at Marquette really embraced the idea that in order to make folks better, you had to know their story, meet them where they were, and help them on the journey.”
Over the years, Mahlock has witnessed major changes for women in the Marines. Up until 2016, women were barred from serving in combat.
“I’ve seen that barrier lifted in my career,” she said in the interview a year ago. “We’ve got women flying strike aircraft, women in the infantry and artillery and tanks. … Regardless of where you’re from or your colour, gender or ethnicity, we’re just trying to figure out how to build the best fighting force.”