Born to genocide survivors in Detroit, she enlisted during World War II and in 1959 became the first woman in the entire U.S. military to wear its highest enlisted rank.
Anna Der-Vartanian (1920–2011), born in Detroit to Armenian Genocide survivor parents, made American military history in 1959 when she became the first woman in the United States armed forces to reach the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9) — the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy.
She enlisted in the Navy in 1943 during World War II with the WAVES, and served for two decades through an era when women's roles in the military were narrow and their promotions capped. Her elevation to Master Chief opened the highest enlisted grade to every woman who served after her, across all branches.
After retiring from the Navy in 1963, she served her country a second time — spending years as an analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency. She died in 2011, at age 90, and was buried with full military honors.
Every woman who has ever worn E-9 in an American uniform walks through a door Anna Der-Vartanian opened.
— On a military firstThe daughter of genocide survivors became a first in American military history — a distinctly Armenian-American arc of survival, service, and breaking barriers. The Navy continues to honor her as the trailblazer for every senior enlisted woman who followed.
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