Col. Tracey Poirier became the first woman promoted to the rank of brigadier general

History was made on Wednesday when Col. Tracey Poirier became the first woman promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the Vermont Army National Guard. Brig. Gen. Poirier says while the rank is important to her, it’s more about her journey to get there and what this means for other women looking to follow in her footsteps. Smiles and cheers abounded among the contingent of Vermont National Guard soldiers at Camp Johnson in Colchester Wednesday, as they gathered to honor the newly named brigadier general. Poirier enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve back in 1991 and served eight years of active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. Poirier joined the Vermont Army National Guard in 2006 where she quickly rose through the ranks, now, as the first woman in Vermont’s Army National Guard to be promoted to the rank of brigadier general. With the help of her four children, Poirier was pinned with one star on each shoulder to represent her status as a one-star general.