Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

A Marquis Who's Who Magazine 135 B orn and raised in the 1930s, Evelyn “Pat” Foote was no stranger to the limitations facing working women during her time. Bright, ambitious and very capable, she completed formal education at Wake Forest University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in 1953. BG Foote went on to excel in a variety of roles with the FBI, Washington Daily News and Blue Cross Blue Shield, but was not permitted to attain leadership positions as a matter of policy. She was becoming increasingly frustrated with these occupational glass ceilings when she met a female Army officer who inspired her to pursue a more progressive career path. When BG Foote joined theWomen’s Army Corps at 29 years of age, shewas a true rarity within the ranks of the U.S. Army; only about 2 percent of personnel werewomen. Despite this, shewas finally recognized for her true potential and advanced through the grades to the rank of brigadier general in 1986, becoming one of only four female generals in the armed forces at the time. Among her greatest military achievements were being the first female deputy inspector general of the Army, the first Army female brigade commander in Europe, the first female faculty member of the U.S. Army War College, and the first female commander of Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Notably, BG Foote was one of the first two individuals inducted into the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame in 2009. She has received numerous accolades, including several Distinguished Service Medals, and including in a group of Wake Forest University graduates profiled in its 2019 annual report. Although BG Foote officially retired in 1989, she has continued to serve as a champion for women’s advancement in the armed forces, with a particular focus on extinguishing sexual assault and harassment within its ranks. She maintains involvement with projects related to military personnel management, promoting career opportunities for both men and women, and helping to deal with issues facing organizations with which she has been affiliated. She was recently invited to share her life and legacy in an extensive interview (https://www.makers.com/profiles/591f27805bf6236c3464b1b6) with MAKERS. EVELYN “PAT” FOOTE RETIRED MILITARY OFFICER Ely, MN