Jamaica-born Lorna Mahlock is the first Black woman to serve as a two-star general in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps. (Credit: U.S. Marine Corps)

By Gary  Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC   TIMES

A Jamaican born Marine has made history in becoming the first Black woman to serve as a two-star General in the U.S. Marines Corps. President Joe Biden nominated Brig. Gen. Lorna Mahlock for the promotion to major general earlier this month and the Senate confirmed her nomination last Thursday.  In 2018,  Mahlock became the first black woman to be nominated for promotion to brigadier general in the Marine Corps.  Mahlock is the deputy director of cybersecurity for combat support at the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Mahlock ( 54-years-old)  immigrated to Brooklyn, New York and enlisted in the Marine Corps.  She was selected for the Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program, graduated from Marquette University and was commissioned in December 1991.  U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Lorna M. Mahlock (right) speaks in 2020 to Marines during a tour of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. (Dalton S. Swanbeck/U.S. Marine Corps)

In 2018,  President Trump nominated Mahlock  to serve as the first black female brigadier general. Mahlock served as a commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom and holds several military honors, including the Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal.

U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Lorna M. Mahlock (US Marine Corps)

 Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley Confirmed as First Black Four-Star U.S. Marine General

Lieutenant General Michael E. Langley is the first Black Four-Star U.S. Marine General is the current commander of U.S. African Command. (Africom.net) 

Another  service member  made military history this year to become the first Black Four-Star U.S. Marine General.  This Summer,   Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley was confirmed as a general, making history as the first Black four-star Marine general in 246 years.  Langley assumed the duties of Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic and Commander, Marine Forces Command and Marine Forces Northern Command.  Lt. Gen. Langley also become commander of U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM)  in Stuttgart, Germany, and currently commands  all U.S. military forces in Africa.  A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Lt. Gen.  Langley graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and commissioned in 1985.  He commanded at every level from platoon to regiment – including Battery K, 5thBattalion, 11th Marines in support of Operations WILDFIRE in Western United States; battalion and regimental commands in 12th Marines forward deployed in Okinawa, Japan; and both the 201st Regional Corps Advisory Command-Central and Regional Support Command – Southwest in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan.  Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced in June that President Biden nominated Langley to be appointed general.