Brig. Gen. Peggy Combs has become the first female commanding general in the 96-year history of Fort Knox. According to the Courier-Journal, Combs officially took command last week in a base ceremony.
Combs replaces Maj. Gen. Jeff Smith, commanding general of the U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox, who is set to become deputy chief of staff for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
As the Courier-Journal reports, Combs has been in the military for the past 30 years. She previously served as the commandant of the U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Fort Knox is undergoing a transitional period. According to the Courier-Journal, Pentagon budget cuts as a result of the end of the war in Iraq and a decreased US presence in Afghanistan have resulted in a reduction in units at Fort Knox, which is near Louisville, Kentucky.
