Maria Lodi Barrett is a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

who serves as the Commanding General of the

United States Army Cyber Command U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) conducts information dominance and cyberspace operations as the Army service component command of United States Cyber Command.The official regulation, General Order (DA GO 2016-11) was signed by the Secretary of ...

since May 3, 2022. She most recently served as Commanding General of the

Network Enterprise Technology Command United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) is a US Military unit subordinate to United States Army Cyber Command. NETCOM's mission is to operate and defend the computer networks of the United States Army. The numerical c ...

Fort Huachuca, Arizona Fort Huachuca is a United States Army military base, installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County, Arizona, C ...

.ABC News. "2 sisters make Army history as first pair to attain

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

rank:

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Maria Barrett and her younger sister

Paula Lodi." Kelly McCarthy. September 6, 2019, 2:02 PM. https://abcnews.go.com/US/sisters-make-us-army-history-1st-pair-attain/story?id=65431718General Officer Management Officer. “Major General Maria B. Barrett (USA).” https://www.gomo.army.mil/public/Biography/usa-9726/mariab-barrett She is the elder sister of Major General

Paula Lodi Paula C. Lodi is a United States Army major general who has served as commanding general of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command since July 10, 2024. She served as commanding general of the 18th Medical Command (Deploym ...

. Barrett and Lodi are the United States Army's first ever sister General Officer tandem.

Early life

Barrett grew up in

Franklin, Massachusetts The Town of Franklin is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Franklin is one of thirteen Massachusetts municipalities that have applied for, and been granted, city forms of government but wish to retain "The town of" in their o ...

, outside of

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. She is the daughter of Ruston Lodi, an Italian immigrant, World War II veteran,

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

recipient, and school teacher; and Clara Lodi, an educator. Barrett graduated from

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations. She also earned a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (Eisenhower School), and a Master of Arts in Telecommunications Management from

Webster University Webster University is a private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, Missouri. It has multiple branch locations across the United States and countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs ...

Military career

Barrett received a commission in the

as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

through the

Army ROTC The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AROTC) is the United States Army component of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. It is the largest Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program which is a group of college and university-based offic ...

program in 1988. She has command experience at the company, battalion, and brigade level. Barrett served as deputy director of Current Operations, J-3, United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), Deputy Commanding General for the Joint Force Headquarters—Cyber (JFHQ-C) with United States Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER), and Deputy Commander (Operations) for Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), USCYBERCOM. She also served as Commander, 160th Signal Brigade, Third United States Army, Chief Information Officer/Director, J-6 with United States Southern Command at Doral, Florida and Director, J-3 with White House Communications Agency. She has served in army assignments in the United States, Kuwait, the Republic of Korea, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. She is a veteran of Operation New Dawn,

Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...

and

Operation Desert Shield The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

Desert Storm The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

. Barrett was promoted to brigadier general on December 2, 2015, and to major general on August 2, 2018.

Personal life

Barrett is married to retired

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Brian T. Barrett, a former Signal Corps Officer. She has four siblings. Her younger sister,

, is a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Awards and commendations

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

Defense Superior Service Medal The Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) is a military decoration of the United States Department of Defense, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members who perform superior meritorious service in a position of significant ...

NETCOM. Commanding General, NETCOM – Major General Maria B. Barrett.” https://netcom.army.mil/bios/MGBarrett.aspx *

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

Defense Meritorious Service Medal The Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) is an award bestowed upon members of the United States military by the United States Department of Defense. In the order of precedence of the United States Armed Forces, it is worn between the Purple ...

with one oak leaf cluster *

Meritorious Service Medal A Meritorious Service Medal is an award presented to denote acts of meritorious service, and sometimes gallantry, that are worthy of recognition. Notable medals with similar names include: *Meritorious Civilian Service Award *Meritorious Service Med ...

with three oak leaf clusters *

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

with one oak leaf cluster *

Joint Service Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to rece ...

Army Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to recei ...

Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US military award that was established on June 4, 1981, by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982. The Joint Meritori ...

* Signal Regiment's Bronze Order of Mercury.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Maria Lodi Living people People from Boston Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals United States Army personnel of the Gulf War United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Year of birth missing (living people) Military personnel from Massachusetts