Adm Linda Fagan becomes first female to lead US armed forces branch

Adm Linda L Fagan will be the first woman to lead a branch of the US armed forces, serving as the 27th commandant of the US coast guard.

Fagan will lead the coast guard after being sworn into the position on Wednesday, reported the Associated Press.

Fagan has been second-in-command at the coast guard since June 2021, the first woman to ever earn a four-star rank in the branch, according to a US Coast Guard biography.

Fagan was promoted following the retirement of Adm Karl Schultz, nominated to the top position by Biden in April.

Last month, Fagan was unanimously confirmed to the position by the Senate. Vice Adm Steven Poulin will succeed Fagan as vice commandant after being approved by the Senate.

Fagan later obtained two graduate degrees, a Master of Science in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington, and a Master in National Resource Strategy degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Across her decades long career, Fagan has served in all seven continents and worked aboard the US Polar Star, a heavy ice breaker ship, as the only woman.

During the ceremony, while speaking on her promotion, Fagan thanked her parents for supporting her career in the armed forces.