Graduate to Lead Largest Veterans Day Event

Graduate to Lead Largest Veterans Day Event

11/01/2013 

Retired Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody ’75, a SUNY Cortland graduate and the military’s first female four-star general, will serve as grand marshal for the 2013 America’s Parade, the largest Veterans Day celebration in the nation.

The event, which takes place Monday, Nov. 11, in New York City, is expected to draw a crowd of more than 600,000. It begins at 11:15 a.m. and will be broadcast on FOX Television’s MyNetwork TV in addition to FOX5 locally in New York City.

This year’s parade spotlights the contributions of women in the military and celebrates the U.S. Army as its featured service branch. Dunwoody will serve as one of three parade grand marshals, along with Anthony Principi, the former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Gen. Raymond Odierno, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff.

Dunwoody, a fourth generation service member, studied physical education at SUNY Cortland and excelled in tennis and gymnastics during a time when women were not admitted to West Point. She’s best known for being the first female promoted to the rank of four-star general in 2008, although her 37 decorated years of service included many other accomplishments.

For the last four years of her career, before she retired in 2012, Dunwoody ran the largest global logistics command in the Army. It encompassed more than 69,000 workers scattered across the world, a budget of $60 billion and the Army’s global supply chain supporting Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dunwoody is credited with leading a transformation of the Army’s logistics organizations and was tabbed by Odierno, her fellow grand marshal, as “quite simply the best logistician the Army has ever had.”

In 1992, she became the first woman to command a battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division. She also was the first female general at Fort Bragg, N.C., and the first woman to lead the Combined Arms Support Command at Fort Lee, Va.

Dunwoody was deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm as a division parachute officer for the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division. She served as the 1st Corps Support Command Commander in the deployment of the Logistics Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Among her many awards, Dunwoody has been recognized by France with its National Order of Merit, by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association with its lifetime Achievement Award and by the NCAA with its highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award, in 2011.

SUNY Cortland also has recognized her with the College’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor for its graduates, and induction in the C-Club Hall of Fame.

Following her undergraduate days, Dunwoody was directly commissioned into the Women’s Army Corps and later received a Master of Science in Logistics Management from the Florida Institute of Technology as well as a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Dunwoody currently serves as president of First 2 Four, LLC, a leadership and strategic advisory company. She is married to retired Air Force Col. Craig Brotchie.

America’s Parade, formerly known as New York City’s Veterans Day Parade, is organized by the United War Veterans Council. For more information, visit americasparade.org.


More News

The Driver Era to close out Spring Fling

The Driver Era to close out Spring Fling

The band concludes a Coachella-themed week of fun at SUNY Cortland.


Cortland earns SUNY’s Shared Governance Award

Cortland earns SUNY’s Shared Governance Award

The system-wide honor recognizes collaboration between Faculty Senate and campus leadership.


Chinese politics scholar to speak

Chinese politics scholar to speak

China’s focus on Tibetan religious customs as a power wedge is talk topic on March 20.


The Big Event Returns April 21

The Big Event Returns April 21

Cortland's student-run community cleanup has potential as a statewide model.


Student shares mental health research nationally

Student shares mental health research nationally

Kyla Young presented her original findings at a rescue service providers conference.


‘Harvest Week!’ culminates ‘Food’ series

‘Harvest Week!’ culminates ‘Food’ series

Topping the week of April 8-12's activities is a talk by the ‘Braiding Sweetgrass' author.


Physics and art departments host eclipse viewing  

Physics and art departments host eclipse viewing  

A rare solar phenomenon will unite the worlds of physics and art on campus. 


Vote for Blaze in SUNY's Mascot Madness!

Vote for Blaze in SUNY's Mascot Madness!

Cortland's mascot needs your vote to advance past the annual popularity tournament's second round.


Prizes offered for student opinions

Prizes offered for student opinions

Undergraduates have until April 5 to complete SUNY’s Student Satisfaction Survey.


Three students earn SUNY Chancellor’s Awards

Three students earn SUNY Chancellor’s Awards

The seniors will receive the prestigious student honor at an April 11 ceremony in Albany.