Retired General Wolfenbarger was appointed chairperson of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS).
On June 9, 2016, the Department of Defense announced that retired General Janet C. Wolfenbarger had been appointed as chairperson of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS). DACOWITS advises the Secretary of Defense on matters and policies relating to the recruitment, retention, employment, integration, and well-being of women in the U.S. armed forces.
Wolfenbarger's appointment to lead this committee was a natural extension of her own historic career as the first woman to achieve four-star general rank in the U.S. Air Force. Her decades of firsthand experience navigating gender integration in the military -- from being part of the Air Force Academy's first co-ed class in 1976 to commanding a Major Command in 2012 -- gave her particular authority and insight to guide policy discussions on women's roles in the services.
As DACOWITS chairperson, Wolfenbarger continued to influence military policy on issues affecting women long after her retirement from active duty in 2015. This role allowed her to institutionalize the lessons of her own career, advocating for continued progress in recruitment, advancement, and equitable treatment of women across all branches of the armed forces.
Her appointment underscored the continuing relevance of her leadership and expertise even in her post-military career, cementing her legacy as an advocate for women in the armed services well beyond her own record-breaking promotion.