Major General Lorna M. Mahlock made history when she became the first Black woman in the Marine Corps to achieve the rank of two-star general. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she enlisted in the Marines at 17 and served as an air traffic controller before earning her officer’s commission after graduating from Marquette University in 1991. She also became the first Black woman to be promoted to brigadier general. She has a master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education from the University of Oklahoma; 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.
