Nigerian-born Amanda Azubuike Promoted To Brig. General Of US Army
Amanda Azubuike, who is of Nigerian descent and serves in the United States Army, has been promoted to Brigadier General of the force.
Maj. Gen. Antonio V. Munera, Commanding General of the United States Army Cadet Command, announced on Twitter on Thursday morning.
“Congratulations to USACC’s newly promoted @dcg_armyrotc, Brig. Gen. Amanda Azubuike! Today, she received her 1st star from Gen. James Rainey, @armyfutures, during a ceremony with family, friends, & fellow community leaders," the US Army chief tweeted.
According to the United States Army, Azubuike completed training as a UH-1 pilot in 1995. It was at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia that she first served in the military, where she rose to the rank of platoon leader in the 924th Aviation Support Battalion.
After that, she was promoted to platoon leader and officer in charge of flight operations for the Aviation Company of the Multinational Force and Observers stationed in Sinai, Egypt. She completed the Military Intelligence Captain's Career Course and the Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Qualification Course before serving as an Operations Officer and RC-12 pilot with the 3rd Military Intelligence Battalion (Aerial Exploitation) in South Korea.
Colonel Azubuike was previously stationed in South Korea, and now she commands Alpha Company in the Victory Brigade at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. Colonel Azubuike served as the Public Affairs Operations Officer for the Coalition Forces Land Component Command in Kuwait from July 2005 until June 2006, after she completed the Public Affairs Officer Qualification Course.
The next stop in her military career was the U.S. Army Central Command headquarters at Fort McPherson, Georgia. Colonel Azubuike served as the U.S. Army Central Command's Chief of Media Relations and Public Affairs Operations Officer after graduating from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. While technically stationed at Fort McPherson, she spent most of her time in Kuwait helping with Operation Iraqi Freedom.
She earned her M.P.S. in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University. She worked in the Pentagon's Community Outreach Division under the direction of the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs. After finishing her studies at the United States Army War College, she was sent to Bagram, Afghanistan with the Division Headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Division based out of Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Following her promotion to colonel, she took over command of the joint public relations team that supported the 58th presidential inauguration while stationed at Fort McNair in the nation's capital.
After that, Colonel Azubuike worked at the U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Doral, Florida, as the Chief of Public Affairs. Later, she worked at the Pentagon's Office of the Secretary of Defense as Chief of Staff and Senior Military Assistant to the Principal Deputy.
Her duty stations have included Camp Arifjan, Kuwait; Bagram, Afghanistan; and the rest of the world in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, and Enduring Freedom. She is a certified Army aviator and parachutist, and she also possesses the Air Assault Badge.
The Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster are just some of the medals and decorations she has received.