Howard achieved many historical firsts throughout her naval career. She was the first African-American woman to command a United States Navy ship,[3]USS Rushmore,[4] and the first to achieve two- and three-star rank. In 2006, she was selected for the rank of rear admiral (lower half),[5] making her the first admiral selected from the United States Naval Academy class of 1982 and the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy selected for flag rank. On July 1, 2014, Howard was appointed Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the second highest-ranking officer in the Navy.
Upon her swearing in, Howard became the highest-ranking woman (until the swearing in of Lisa Franchetti) and first female four-star admiral in United States Naval history.[6][7] Howard also became the first female four-star admiral to command operational forces, when she assumed command of United States Naval Forces Europe and Naval Forces Africa. Howard retired on December 1, 2017, after nearly 36 years of service in the United States Navy.
In 2021, Howard was appointed to The Naming Commission, a congressional commission created to rename U.S. military assets and locations with names associated with the Confederate States of America (CSA), and was sworn in as its chair in March.[8][9]
Howard's initial sea tours were aboard USS Hunley and USS Lexington. While serving on board USS Lexington, she received the Secretary of the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins award in May 1987. This award is given to one woman officer a year for outstanding leadership. She reported to USS Mount Hood as Chief Engineer in 1990 and served in the Gulf War, during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. She assumed duties as First Lieutenant on board USS Flint in July 1992. In January 1996, she became the Executive Officer of USS Tortuga and deployed to the Adriatic in support of Operation Joint Endeavor, a peacekeeping effort in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. Sixty days after returning from the Mediterranean deployment, Tortuga departed on a West African Training Cruise, where the ship's sailors, with embarked U.S. Marines and U.S. Coast Guard detachment, operated with the naval services of seven African nations.
Howard assumed command of USS Rushmore on March 12, 1999, becoming the first African-American woman to command a warship in the United States Navy. Howard commanded Amphibious Squadron 7 from May 2004 to September 2005. Deploying with Expeditionary Strike Group 5, operations included tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia and maritime security operations in the North Persian Gulf.
Howard addressing the crew of USS Wasp in December 2009
Howard's shore assignments include: Course Coordinator/Instructor for the Steam Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) course; Action Officer and Navy's liaison to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Military Services (DACOWITS) in the Bureau of Personnel; Action Officer J-3, Global Operations, Readiness on the Joint Staff from 2001 to 2003; Executive Assistant to the Joint Staff Director of Operations from February 2003 to February 2004; and Deputy Director N3 on the OPNAV Staff from December 2005 to July 2006.
Howard was the Deputy Director, Expeditionary Warfare Division, OPNAV staff from July 2006 to December 2006, and senior military assistant to the secretary of the Navy January 2007 – January 2009. She was chief of staff to the director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff from August 2010 until July 2012.[3] From August 2012 to July 2013 she was Deputy Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia.
Howard assumed command of Expeditionary Strike Group 2 and Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer in April 2009. Boxer was the flagship for CTF 151, a multinational task force established to conduct counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean. She played a key role in the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, whose kidnapping by Somali pirates became a major motion picture film.[10]
Howard was promoted to rear admiral (lower half), effective September 1, 2007 and to rear admiral, effective August 1, 2010. She was promoted to vice admiral on August 24, 2012.
After Howard retired from the Navy on December 1, 2017, she became the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Visiting Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University, teaching cybersecurity and international policy.[12]IBM announced that it appointed Howard to its board, effective March 1, 2019.[13]
Howard is the recipient of the 2008 Women of Color Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Career Achievement Award, 2009 Dominion Power Strong Men and Women Excellence in Leadership Award,[15] and the 2011 USO Military Woman of the Year.[16]
On February 1, 2013, Howard was honored with the "Chairman's Award" at the 44th NAACP Image Awards.[16] She is a 1987 recipient of the Secretary of the Navy/Navy League Captain Winifred Collins Award.
On June 13, 2015, Howard was awarded the Doctor of Public Service honorary degree from the American Public University System for her many years of service in the United States Navy, her contribution to the advancement of women in the United States Military, and to her continued service to the people of the United States and around the world.
On May 22, 2021, Howard was the speaker for the commencement ceremonies at Fordham University, where she received an honorary doctorate of humane letters for her achievements and leadership in the U.S. armed forces .[17]
^"Navy Celebrates 2014 African American/Black History Month". US Navy. Archived from the original on July 13, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2014. Vice Adm. Michelle Howard is recognized for many first accomplishments, including the recognition as the first female United States Naval Academy graduate to be promoted to the rank of admiral, the first black female to command a combatant ship, and the first black female promoted to two-star and three-star admiral. She has also been confirmed by the Senate to serve as Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the service's No. 2 uniformed officer. She will be the first black and first woman to hold the job and the first female four-star admiral.
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