Michelle Howard nominated to become the first female 4-star admiral of the U.S. Navy

U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Vice Admiral Michelle Howard (pictured), for a fourth star Friday, becoming the first woman in Navy history to attain the rank.

Howard, 53, currently serves as deputy chief of naval operations for operations, plans, and strategy. She has been tapped to serve as vice chief of naval operations, the Navy’s second-ranking officer, and a single step below the chief of naval operations, the service’s top officer.

Howard graduated from the Naval academy in 1982 and took command of her first ship, the Rushmore, in 1999, becoming the first African American woman to command a ship in the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Army awarded their first female admiral, Ann Dunwoody, 4 stars in 2008, and the Air Force awarded four stars to Janet Wolberger in 2012.

Howard assumes the new task during a demanding time for the navy, trying to pivot to the Pacific amid a funding crunch that has the service scrambling. “The best ambassador,” she likes to say, “is a warship.”

Read more: TIME