Posted on Dec 13, 2015
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
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Did you know this Officer Becomes First Woman to Command Marine Engineer Battalion?

RP Members are there more commands in store for Female Officers in the Marines?

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Lauren Edwards made history when she took command of the service’s 8th Engineer Support Battalion at Camp Lejeune, Nov. 30.

“My charge now is to serve as a positive example of leadership and professionalism to men and women alike,” Edwards said during the change of command ceremony. “I'm extraordinarily proud to take command of 8th ESB today, and I hope that all Marines and sailors in this battalion recognize that if they work hard and look out for each other they can accomplish whatever they set their minds to.”

Edwards’ new responsibility, as the first female commander of an ESB, will be to provide engineer support to II Marine Expeditionary Force. “Engineer support battalions are very much the life support of an MEF,” she said. “We are a large unit that can be tasked to perform a myriad of engineering tasks across the battlefield.”

Edwards was commissioned as a second lieutenant Aug. 14

http://www.defense.gov/News-Article-View/Article/633475/face-of-defense-officer-becomes-first-woman-to-command-marine-engineer-battalion?source=GovDelivery

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Lauren Edwards gives a speech after taking command of the 8th Engineer Support Battalion during a change of command ceremony held at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Nov. 30, 2015. “I'm extraordinarily proud to take command of 8th ESB today, and I hope that all Marines and sailors in this battalion recognize that if they work hard and look out for each other they can accomplish whatever they the set their minds to,” Edwards said. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan Young
Edited 9 y ago
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SN Greg Wright
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Edited 9 y ago
COL Mikel J. Burroughs I'm surprised. This seems like a low-level command for it to be the first woman. (In other words, why hasn't there been a female commander before in this position?) The Navy has had female CBG commanders already. I wonder why the Marines haven't matched, in terms of senior females.

Congrats, though, Colonel!
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SFC Acquisition, Logistics & Technology (AL&T) Contracting NCO
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Indeed, the Army has already had a female in charge of a 4 star command and with integration of all MOS's across all branch forthcoming... it surprises me that this is news.
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MSgt Curtis Ellis
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I remember reading about her a couple days ago. My congratulations, and I wish her the best of luck!
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
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I heard about this earlier in the week, and I look forward to the day that there are no "firsts."
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
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