On April 28 the U.S. Senate confirmed Gen. Lori Robinson to be the first woman to lead a combatant command. She will head the U.S. Northern Command, making her the top general in charge of preventing attacks on the U.S. and its territories, including the Gulf of Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The command encompasses land, air, and sea units. Earlier this year General Robinson was listed in Time magazine as one of 2016’s most influential people.  In the Time article, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth explained the importance of this appointment: Northern Command, created the year after the 9/11 attacks, is also prestigious because it protects our homeland. That is such a tremendous commentary on where we are as a nation.For years, women were barred from combat roles, closing off their route to the senior leadership. General Robinson’s appointment makes clear to every female lieutenant that the top jobs are now open to them.

Sources: The Atlantic, April 26, 2016 The First Female Combatant Commander in the United States J.Weston Phippen http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2016/04/lori-robinson-norcom/479955/   Time, April 21, 2016 Lori Robinson Tammy Duckworth http://time.com/4301351/lori-robinson-2016-time-100/   CBS News, April 29, 2016 Senate Confirms First Female Officer for Warfighting Command Rod McGuirk, AP http://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-confirms-first-female-officer-for-warfighting-command/