Maryland National Guard first state with all-female command

BALTIMORE — For the first time, a state’s National Guard command staff is entirely female. The Maryland National Guard’s four top leaders are all women, and three are African American.

The Washington Post also reports that all four officers are mothers. The Maryland Guard has been in the unprecedented territory since fall.

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Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh has been the highest-ranking commander of the state’s military since 2015. She’s the first African American and first woman to serve as adjutant general for the Maryland Guard.

In June, Brig. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead became assistant adjutant general for Army. Brig. Gen. April Vogel started serving in August as assistant adjutant general for Air. Command Sgt. Maj. Perlisa D. Wilson became senior enlisted adviser in December.

Singh says it wasn’t intentional; she just wanted the most-qualified candidates available.

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