Major General
Jeanette K. Edmunds

Jeanette K. Edmunds was born on 13 November 1953 in Hampton, Virginia. Graduating from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1975, she received a direct commission as a second lieutenant in the Women's Army Corps. Among the first to be allowed to join other branches as part of the process of integrating women into the Regular Army, she chose Ordnance. Assigned as a Training Officer in a Basic Training Battalion at Fort McClellan, Alabama, she sought reassignment to an Ordnance-related position at nearby Anniston Army Depot in 1977, serving as Maintenance Officer, involved in the teardown, evaluation, and verification of the first XM-1 tank off the production line.

Edmunds next served from 1980 to 1982 in Korea, first as Chief of the Tactical and Combat Vehicle Branch, Deputy Chief of Staff, Materiel, 19th Support Command, then as Commander of the 595th Maintenance Company. Returning to the United States, she served from 1982 to 1983 as Operations and Training Staff Officer, US Army Training Support Center, Fort Eustis, Virginia, assisting Army schools in developing training to support the fielding of new equipment.

From 1983 to 1986, Edmunds was Ordnance Branch Assignment Officer for Lieutenants and Captains at the US Army Military Personnel Center, Alexandria, Virginia. She then served from 1987 to 1988 as Combat Support Aviation and Special Operations Forces Staff Officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research, Development, and Acquisition), overseeing aircraft and related equipment programs. From 1988 to 1989 she was Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Army for matters pertaining to a wide range of research, development, and acquisition programs.

In 1989, Edmunds was selected to serve on the Defense Management Review Task Force, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, responsible for implementing Congressional legislation concerning the acquisition workforce. From 1991 to 1993, she commanded the 306th Forward Support Battalion in the 6th Infantry Division (Light), Fort Wainwright, Alaska, then assumed duties as the division's Assistant G-4 (Logistics), orchestrating a major drawdown of the division.

In 1995, Edmunds took command of the 64th Corps Support Group, Fort Hood, Texas. Her 3,500 soldiers supported the 1st Cavalry and 4th Infantry Divisions. From 1997 to 1998, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Ammunition, Army Materiel Command, Alexandria, Virginia, overseeing a $2 billion conventional ammunition program. In 1998, she assumed command of the US Army War Reserve Support Command at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, where she insured the readiness of seven brigades of prepositioned equipment.

Edmunds next commanded the 13th Corps Support Command at Fort Hood from 1999 to 2001, supporting III Corps units at four installations. From 2001 to 2002, she served as Director for Sustainment, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics (G-4), Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA). She then took command of the 19th Theater Support Command from 2002 to 2004 in the Republic of Korea. In her final assignment, from 2004 to 2006, she served as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics (G-4), HQDA. MG Jeanette K. Edmunds retired in 2006 after 30 years of distinguished service.