Robinson took command of USNORTHCOM and NORAD, becoming the first woman in U.S. history to lead a unified combatant command.
On May 13, 2016, General Lori Robinson took command of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, becoming the first woman in United States history to lead a unified combatant command.
This appointment represented the pinnacle of military authority for a woman in the United States armed forces to that date. USNORTHCOM and NORAD are jointly responsible for the aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for the defense of North America, as well as homeland defense and civil support missions — among the most consequential and sensitive responsibilities in the entire U.S. defense apparatus, including binational coordination with Canada.
Robinson's ascension to this post made her, at the time, the highest-ranking woman in U.S. military history. Her appointment required Senate confirmation and represented decades of incremental progress for women in the armed forces, from the earliest integration of women into non-combat roles to full eligibility for combat leadership. Robinson's command demonstrated unequivocally that gender was no longer a barrier to reaching the very top of American military command structure, inspiring institutional reforms and serving as a landmark reference point in the ongoing effort toward full gender equality within the Department of Defense.