Obama to nominate first female combatant commander

Defense Secretary Ash Carter made the announcement on Friday

Lori Robinson address the press in March. (Rod McGuirk/Associated Press)

President Barack Obama will nominate Air Force General Lori Robinson for combatant, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced on Friday morning.

Robinson would become the first female combatant commander if she approved by the Senate. She would be responsible for military forces in North America.

“We have coming along now a lot of female officers who are exceptionally strong, and Lori certainly fits that category,” Carter said, according to Politico.

General Robinson is currently the commander of Pacific Air Forces, Air Component Commander for US Pacific Command and executive director of Pacific Air Combat Operations Staff, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. She joined the Air Force in 1982 through the University of New Hampshire’s ROTC program.