Tracy L. Garrett

Tracy L. Garrett
BornSeattle, Washington
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Marine Corps Reserve
Years of service1978–2014
RankMajor General
CommandsInspector General of the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe
Battles / warsIraq War
AwardsLegion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Alma materUniversity of Washington
Naval War College

Tracy L. Garrett is a retired major general of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. During her military career, she served as the first female Inspector General of the Marine Corps.

Education

Garrett is a graduate of the University of Washington where she was a member of Kappa Delta sorority (Sigma Iota chapter) and the Naval War College.[1]

Military career

Tracy L. Garrett entered the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, and in 1978 graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in English.[2] During this time, she studied abroad in Austria.[3] Following graduation, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.[2] Her father had been in the Marine Corps, and she had made the decision to pursue a career there while in high school. She had specifically intended to join the reserves so that she could also raise a family.[4]

In 1998, Garrett graduated with a master's degree in national security and strategic studies at the Naval War College in Rhode Island.

Garrett held a variety of commands, and served in the Iraq War between September 2004 and March 2005 as chief of staff of the 1st Force Service Support Group.[2][1] In 2007, she was promoted to brigadier general, and again in 2010 to major general.[3] She has served as commander of the United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa, and was the first female Inspector General of the Marine Corps.[3][5]

Since 2010, Garrett has been a director of the USAA.[5] Following 36 years of service, she retired from the Marine Corps on May 8, 2014; her posting immediately prior to retirement was as special adviser to the Commander of the United States Africa Command located in Stuttgart, Germany. She would commute on a monthly basis from her home in Seattle.[6]

Later life

Following retirement, Garrett continues to work with the USAA, and with the Girl Scouts of the USA in western Washington state, having been in the Girl Scouts as a child.[3]

Awards

Garrett's awards include the Legion of Merit,[7] Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

References

  1. ^ a b Barber, Mike (January 15, 2009). "UW grad Tracy Garrett earns her second USMC star". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Hooks Hawkins, Carol (2009). American Women Leaders: 1,500 Current Biographies. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. p. 137. ISBN 978-078645-275-0.
  3. ^ a b c d "Tracy L. Garrett". IES Abroad. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  4. ^ Sheldon, Sara A. (2008). The Few, the Proud: Women Marines in Harm's Way. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International. pp. ix–xi. ISBN 978-027599-994-0.
  5. ^ a b "Tracy L. Garrett USMCR9 (Retd.)". Bloomberg. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  6. ^ Law, Brenda (May 9, 2014). "U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Gen. Tracy Garrett Retires". United States Africa Corps. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  7. ^ "Valor awards for Tracy L. Garrett". valor.militarytimes.com.