2000s
2001
Captain Vernice Armour became the first African American woman U.S. Marine Corps pilot and first African American woman combat pilot.
Coral Wong Pietsch became the first Asian American woman promoted to brigadier (one-star) general officer in the U.S. Army and the first woman general of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps.
2002
Colonel Julia J. Cleckly became the first African American brigadier (one-star) general in the Army National Guard.
2003
Commander Sergeant Major Michele Jones became the first woman command sergeant major of the Army Reserve becoming the first woman to serve in the highest enlisted position of the Army Reserve and highest ranking enlisted African American woman in any military branch.
2004
Navy Lieutenant (junior grade) Jeanette Gracie Shin became the first Buddhist chaplain in the U.S. Armed Forces
2005
Lieutenant (junior grade) Jeanine McIntosh- Menze became the first African American woman Coast Guard pilot.
2006
Colonel Angela Salinas became the first Hispanic woman to attain brigadier (one-star) general rank in the U.S. Marine Corps.