Lieutenant General Nina M. Armagno
U.S. Space Force, Retired
Her service in this honorary role recognizes the women of the U.S. Space Force
(Arlington, Va., March 30, 2024)— Retired U.S. Space Force Lieutenant General Nina Armagno has accepted the Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation’s invitation to serve as an Honorary Board Chair. The position recognizes her trailblazing achievement as the first senior woman officer in the U.S. Space Force. The Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, operates the Military Women’s Memorial which preserves and exhibits the history of all women who have served, beginning with the American Revolution. The Foundation has long had pioneer senior flag officers from each of the services as Honorary Board Chairs, including Army General Ann Dunwoody, Air Force General Janet Wolfenbarger, Navy Admiral Michelle Howard, Marine Lieutenant General Carol Mutter, and Coast Guard Vice Admiral Vivien Crea.
The Space Force is the newest military service, and the only branch where women have always had unlimited roles. According to retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Phyllis Wilson, President of the Foundation, “The Military Women’s Memorial sees a unique opportunity to capture and tell the stories of women in the U.S. Space Force from the very beginning. Retired Lieutenant General Armagno’s role as an Honorary Board Chair will illustrate to America’s women Guardians the importance of recognizing those trailblazers who made it possible for them to serve, as well as their role in shaping the future for successive generations of Space Force women. The Foundation looks forward to the general’s support to our mission of honoring and telling the stories of all America’s servicewomen – those past, those still serving and those who may choose to serve in the future.”
Lt. Gen. Armagno‘s position before retirement was the U.S. Space Force Director of Staff. She was the service’s first female general officer and the only one to have commanded both the 30th Space Wing and the 45th Space Wing. Prior to transferring to the newly created Space Force, she was a Major General in the U.S. Air Force. She is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, holds a Master of Arts in Education Administration from Chapman University in California and a Master of Science in National Security Studies from the National War College.
Of her honorary role, Lt. Gen. Armagno said “it is my honor to hold this position in recognition of the women of the Space Force. I look forward to helping ensure their stories of service are captured and celebrated.”
About Lieutenant General Nina M. Armagno
Lieutenant General Nina M. Armagno served as the Director of Staff, Headquarters, United States Space Force, from August 2020 to August 2023, where she established the sixth and newest branch of the United States Armed Forces. As Director, Armagno was responsible for forming new Service plans, positions, policies and procedures, synchronizing the 600-person staff, and resolving cross-functional issues for the new Headquarters. Lt Gen Armagno retired on 31 August 2023 after 35 years of active-duty military service.
Before joining the Space Force, Armagno served as the Director of Space Programs for the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions, Logistics, and Technology. In this role, she directed the development of space programs for the Air Force and crafted strategies for their support across the Department of the Air Force, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Congress, and the White House. Prior to Acquisitions, Armagno served as the Director of Plans and Policy, Headquarters United States Strategic Command, where she was responsible for the Nation’s strategic nuclear war plans, strategic space policy, and international engagements.
Armagno began her career after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988, as a space operator. She commanded at the squadron, installation, group and wing command levels. She is the only person to have commanded both launch wings in the Air Force and is the first Lieutenant General commissioned in the Space Force.
Armagno holds a Master’s degree from National War College in National Security Studies, a second Master’s degree from Chapman University in Education Administration, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the United States Air Force Academy. Armagno served on The Hill as a legislative fellow, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and has numerous awards and decorations to include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot Award.
About the Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation
The Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation maintains and operates the Military Women’s Memorial, the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history, from the American Revolution to the present time. The Foundation is proud to recognize their devoted patriotism and courage as an integral part of our National heritage. The mission of the Military Women’s Memorial is to make the history of women in the military — past, present, and future — come alive as we honor their service. In addition to a myriad of programs on topics of relevance to military women and their service, the Foundation has a recognized research repository, and maintains a vast collection that continues to grow as today’s servicewomen participate in new operations. The Foundation’s research library includes nearly 1,000 books by and about military women, photograph and document archives, personal and military-issue artifacts, memoirs, and oral histories. Additionally, the Military Women’s Memorial hosts the Register, the world’s largest repository of women’s stories, which were submitted by those who served or their families.
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